Local management impounds large containers to counter PTI protests

Rawalpindi

Despite court orders, the city administration and traffic police have forcefully impounded dozens of containers filled with different kinds of items particularly food items like fruits, vegetables, milk, cold drinks, cement etc apparently to cordon off all roads leading to federal capital to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from laying a siege to the capital on November 2. The helpless drivers and conductors of containers are literally crying to abandon their containers fearing food items stored in them to suffer irreparable damages.

The Rawalpindi local management with the help of traffic police and Punjab Police has impounded 67 containers till the filing of this report on Thursday. Reportedly, Islamabad management had impounded 64 containers. Majority of containers were stopped at Rawat Police Station.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Junaid Khan told ‘The News’ that they were impounding containers on the directions of higher authorities. He said that he has learnt about Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision but he has not received any further direction from higher authorities. “We are on duty for 48 hours and catching big containers,” he claimed. He has admitted that many containers are filled with food items but they are helpless.

Pakistan Goods Transporters Association (PGTA) General Secretary Nabeel Mahmood Tariq said that containers were taken away from different parts of the city to stop PTI’s March. “It seems that police are on a container-seizing spree. Police are impounding containers to stop rallies, which is a financial murder of thousands of drivers and conductors, he said. 

He added the government had made it a practice to use cargo containers for blocking roads during protests and rallies but it could prove fatal as container vehicles contain fuel. “Several trucks and containers have been burnt in the past during agitations but no one is listening to the transporters’ apprehensions,” he maintained.

The reliable sources said that local managements of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will block roads with big containers at T-Chowk Rawat, Soan Bride, Kutcheri Chowk, Chakri Interchange and Islamabad Highway to protesters on November 2.

Meanwhile, the local managements of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have sent notices to all hotels and guest houses directed them not to provide rooms to protesters at any cost otherwise legal action will be taken. The local managements have sent notices through concerned SHOs.