Blockades of Murree Road create problems for Pindiites

Rawalpindi: It was a difficult day for public particularly ladies and serious patients as law enforcement agencies completely sealed off Murree Road at different points with the help of large containers and barbed wires to stop unchecked movement of public on Murree Road from Saddar to Faizabad here on Wednesday.

Any kind of vehicle even motorbike movement was impossible as Murree Road was blocked with the help of about 60 containers, oil tankers, barbed wires and stones impounded by the police for the purpose. More than 80 per cent public service vehicles (PSVs) including Metro Bus Service (MBS) was completely suspended. All kinds of commuters especially students, office goers and patients faced worst kind of situation turned back homes without doing routine works.

Common patients, serious patients and even ambulances could not reach allied hospitals of District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) due to blockage of Murree Road.

All markets, shops, banks, private clinics and government/private schools, hotels and petrol pumps along Murree Road from Saddar to Faizabad were completely closed down on Wednesday.

The shopkeepers, petrol pump owners and owners of hotels along Murree Road told ‘The News’ that local management and police gave them notices to close down all business activities on the occasion. 

In the state of helplessness, people were walking on roads facing scorching heat and humidity on the occasion. It could be seen derogative language in between police and public at all Road. 

Some key post police officials on anonymity said that we are helpless before the orders of higher authority. The higher authorities ordered us to block all link roads of Murree Road.

The taxi cab and Rickshaw drivers were out to cash in on the situation, as they started demanding extra charges from the commuters in absence of public transport vehicles. Even serious patients were also seen finding way to reach hospital. 

Zakir Hussain from Adiala Road said, “His wife is pregnant and they wanted to reach District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Rawalpindi. But police did not allow them to reach the hospital.” I have seen hospital card to police personnel but they never allowed me to go, he denounced.

“Today is my interview day but unfortunately I am facing worst kind of difficulties in reaching Rehmanabad the place of interview,” Uzma Irfan a lady said. Niaz Ahmed, a milk supplier said that his milk was going to waste because he could not supply milk to many areas in Rawalpindi due to blockage of Murree Road.