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Friday March 29, 2024

Miseries of twin cities residents continue due to road blockade

By Khalid Iqbal
November 17, 2017

Rawalpindi :Residents of the twin cities continued to suffer due to blockages of roads and stoppage of Metro Bus Service (MBS) for eight days. The local managements of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Thursday have written a letter to sit-in protesters to inform the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding to end sit-in immediately in this regard.


The Faizabad intersection is the busiest link between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and most of the inter-provincial traffic is routed through it. Its closure for eight days has crippled traffic within the twin cities’ and badly affected public life. The Expressway has been shut from Zero Point to Khanna Pul, while Murree Road has been closed from the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium to Rawal Dam Chowk due to the protest.


Similarly, more than 100,000 commuters travelling between Rawalpindi and Islamabad particularly ladies facing difficulties due to stoppage of Metro Bus Service (MBS). IJP Road too has been closed from 9th Avenue to Faizabad. Chief Officer (CO) Provincial Intelligence Department Sarfraz Ahmed told ‘The News’ that we did not want any mishap to remove protesters from Faizabad Interchange.


Some key post officials from Rawalpindi and Islamabad managements on anonymity said through a letter they have informed sit-in protesters to leave Faizabad immediately. Islamabad High Court (IHC) has given order to the protesters to leave Faizabad immediately, they said. It seems that protesters not agreed to obey the orders of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in this regard, the officials said.


To keep the protesters from marching towards Constitution Avenue and onto the Diplomatic Enclave, several roads around the high-security Red Zone have been sealed off using massive containers.


Two religious parties have been camped at the key route linking Islamabad and Rawalpindi for over a week in protest against the government's change, and then reversal, of the finality of Prophethood oath for lawmakers.


Hearing the petition filed by Maulana Allah Wasaya against the amendments to the clauses related to the finality of Prophethood in the Elections Act, 2017, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked that the petition will be taken up on the condition of ending the sit-in.


He directed the petitioner's counsel to abide by the law and end the sit-in so the public's miseries can end. The judge observed further that the young, elderly, employees, and students are being adversely affected due to the protest.


The residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have appealed law enforcement agencies to immediately implement the orders of IHC to remove protesters from Faizabad.