District admin’s late hour notification brings relief: Roads open, transport resumes but market timings intact
In a significant relief for residents of the twin cities, the district administration of Islamabad on Saturday announced the reopening of all routes across the capital, allowing the resumption of public and goods transport following days of disruption linked to heightened security measures amid uncertainty over US-Iran talks.
According to a notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon, all roads in the federal capital have now been opened for traffic, while public transport, including buses and goods carriers, has been allowed to operate in Islamabad without restrictions.
Likewise bus terminals across the city have also resumed operations, with the exception of the Faizabad bus terminal, which remains closed till further orders.
The development comes after nearly a week of partial lockdown in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, during which key areas including the Red Zone, Extended Red Zone and surroundings of Nur Khan Airbase remained inaccessible, severely affecting daily life.
While the reopening of routes is expected to ease commuting difficulties and restore supply chains, the administration has maintained certain restrictions on business hours.
As per the notification, markets and shopping malls will continue to close at 8 p.m., while restaurants and marriage halls will operate until 10 p.m. until further orders.
Residents, who had been facing shortages of essential items, fuel supply disruptions, and mobility challenges, welcomed the decision, expressing hope that normalcy would gradually return.
The resumption of goods transport is likely to address food and fuel shortages reported in several areas over the past few days.
However, authorities indicated that the situation remains under close monitoring in view of ongoing regional developments, and any further easing or tightening of restrictions will be decided according to the evolving security conditions.
With roads reopening and transport services back on track, daily life in Islamabad is expected to regain momentum, especially from Monday (tomorrow) though limited restrictions continue to reflect a cautious approach by the administration.
Earlier the prolonged restrictions had created widespread difficulties for residents, who are struggling to access basic necessities. Power load shedding has also resurfaced in several areas despite assurances from the Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) that outages would not occur during heightened security arrangements.
Residents had urged authorities to ease restrictions, highlighting the urgency of restoring mobility for students appearing in examinations, ensuring water supply through tankers, enabling patients to reach hospitals, and resuming the delivery of fresh food items.
Until then, residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi continue to grapple with uncertainty, shortages, and mounting frustration as normal life remains on hold.
