Commuters, daily wagers, patients seek permanent resolution of protest saga
The residents of the twin cities on Sunday spent the day besieged in their houses as the District Administration had blocked most of the roads of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to prevent them from going to the Sangjani Toll Plaza where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had organized its public rally/protest.
In total, the administration had blocked e 21 points with containers including the Zero Point, Faisal Chowk, KhaybanChowk, Rawat T-Cross, Khanna Bridge, TramriChowk, Shahpur Road Turn, U-Turn on Murree Road, Bridge on Murree Road near Traffic Office, Faizabad, 9th Avenue, GandumGodown, GolraMor Haji Camp, Motorway Old Toll Plaza, Nicholson’s Monument, New Margalla Road turn on G.T Road, Sangjani Toll Plaza, Water Tanki on Margalla Road, New Margalla Road Loop opposite F-10/2, 26 Number Chongi, and TarnolPhatak. All the roads leading to the ‘red zone’ except for the Margalla Road were also blocked.
Containers were placed on all entry and exit points of the city besides metro bus service was suspended with the deployment of police on all roads and even rooftops of important buildings ahead of PTI’s scheduled public meeting which had been pending for a number of times.
“We are expecting clashes between the law-enforcement agencies and the PTI protesters and these measures (closure of roads) have been taken in a bid to thwart any such situation, said a senior officer of the Islamabad Police confirming in Rawalpindi too such ‘preventive’ measures have been in place. Due to the high security level, the residents remained confined to their residential areas. Less business activity was reported in markets, especially Karachi Company, F-6 and F7, Raja Bazaar, Murree Road and adjoining markets. Mostly people working in government and private organisations failed to reach their offices.
It is now a ‘new normal’ for the residents of the twin cities as for many years they have been facing problems due to political and religious gatherings. In July, roads remained closed for the protest sit-ins of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) a religious outfit and Jamaat-i-Islami.
Ali, a student of the private college, regretted these everyday Jalsa and protests. He asked if the administration and police had no alternate plans to keep the normal life and order intact.
Rabia, a teacher in one of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) schools said she was at a loss if there would be school tomorrow (Sept 9) or not as usually the District Magistrate office issued such orders at the eleventh hour.
