Life in Rawalpindi paralysed

NAMAZ-E-JANAZA OF MUMTAZ QADRI

Rawalpindi

The life in Rawalpindi was paralysed as people participated in the Namaz-e-Janaza of Mumtaz Qadri and all routes were closed by the city district government to ensure security.

In connection with security arrangements, adopted by the city government, big containers and big vehicles were placed on all sensitive and major entry points including Mall Road, Saddar, Mareer Chowk, Liaquat Bagh Committee Chowk, College Road, Raja Bazaar, Liaquat Road, Moti Mahal Chowk, Chandni Chowk, Asghar Mall Chowk, Banni, Gawalmandi, Airport Road, Kashmir Road, Faizabad etc in order to prevent the entrance of all type of vehicles at the site of Namaz-e-Janaza held at historic Liaquat Bagh. All types of barricades, containers and big vehicles were placed before the start of Namaz-e-Fajr, as a result people particularly office goers, school and college going girls faced immense hardships to reach their offices and educational institutions from Rawalpindi to Islamabad as all linking roads remained closed completely. Huge contingent of police personnels, volunteers and other security staff remained deputed at all major chowks of Rawalpindi particularly where barricades were laid. Moreover, besides security staff, the staff and vehicles of emergency organisations including Rescue-1122, Edhi also remained present along with their vehicles to meet any emergency like situation if occurs.

Because of the situation, majority of people preferred remained indoors. The local educational institutions based in the main vicinities of Rawalpindi city remained closed on the occasion. Similarly, the shopkeepers and traders of Rawalpindi kept their shops closed completely throughout the day.

Due to closure of all routes leading from Mall Road to Faizabad, the entire transport system, including Metro Bus service, remained suspended from morning till evening time because of which people suffered badly.

People belonging to religious organisations and parties came from far-flung areas to participate in the Namaz-e-Janaza. Clusters of people were witnessed all over the city areas, roads and streets besides major points of the metropolitan city including Faizabad, Raja Bazaar, Asghar Mall, Waris Khan, Committee Chowk, Tipu Road, Rialto Chowk, Mareer Hassan Chowk, Liaquat Road, Mall Road, Banni. Not only Liaquat Bagh but areas adjoining to it were jam packed with people. People were seen on the roof tops of houses, hotels, shops, plazas and offices to see the last glimpse of Mumtaz Qadri.

Religious scholars and ulema in their speeches condemned the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri. 

According to reports gathered, emergency declared in all the allied hospitals of Rawalpindi to meet any untoward situation.