Life Paralyzed in Twin Cities as PTI Protest Brings Daily Activities to a Standstill
Roads joining Rawalpindi with Islamabad blocked, mobile services suspended
Following the PTI’s announcement of a protest in Islamabad today, all routes connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been closed. Security in Rawalpindi is on high alert, and Section 144 has been enforced.
Barbed wires have been placed at D-Chowk to seal the area while more contingents of police and Rangers have been deployed,
Meanwhile, double-layer containers have been placed on the Faizabad bridge, while various points on the Islamabad Expressway have also been sealed.
The IJP Road has been blocked for traffic, and all access routes leading to Rawalpindi’s main Murree Road are shut down.
Roads leading to the Red Zone and D-Chowk were sealed from all sides, including at Serena, Jinnah Avenue, Nadra Square, Marriott Hotel and Zero Point. Entry points of the twin cities, Srinagar Highway at Bus Stop 26, Faizabad Chowk, Sanjgani Toll Plaza, Margalla Road, and 9th Avenue were also closed.
A heavy contingent of police has been deployed on the connecting routes between Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Additionally, the metro bus service in Rawalpindi has been suspended until further notice.
In Islamabad, a ban on pillion riding will be in effect for the next two days, with strict legal action promised for violators.
Furthermore, the road to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail has been blocked off by containers being placed there. Containers have also been positioned outside the prison, where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan is currently held.
An increased police presence has been stationed around the jail, and the road from Gorakhpur to the prison has been closed as security remains on high alert.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has once again issued a warning against the PTI’s planned rally at D-Chowk, reminding that he had previously urged them not to hold protests.
While acknowledging that every Pakistani has the right to organize rallies and demonstrations, he criticized the way these protests are being carried out, calling them inappropriate. He assured that the Islamabad police and administration would carry out their duties responsibly.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi stressed, “We cannot permit this; the situation is clear for everyone to see.”