ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: The government on Thursday deployed police and paramilitary force in Rawalpindi as the JUI-F geared up to launch the Plan-B of its Azadi March.
The religio-political party, under its Plan-B, planned to block main roads in all the federating units of the country, including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Wearing protective head gear and equipped with safety shields and tear gas, the police and FC personnel were seen manning Chungi Number 26 -- a key entry point into Islamabad.
The JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that the JUI-F would win this 'war' against Prime Minister Imran. He lashed out at the government on its failure to control inflation in the country. "The adviser they have brought in from the World Bank doesn't even know if the price of tomoatoes are Rs17/kg or Rs250/kg," he said.
Haideri said that the incumbent government had lots its writ. He said that on the instructions of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, highways across the country had been shut down. "Our move to initiate a lockdown is our compulsion," he said. "Tomorrow in this dharna, we will offer Juma prayers," he added.
He said that today (Friday) protesters will block everything from Shahrah-e-Resham to the Attock bridge. "This movement will go on till Imran Khan doesn't resign," he said. "If you want to gauge our strength, wrestle with us and find out," he added.
The JUI-F has ended its dharna at Chongi No. 26 in Rawalpindi. The party has announced that the dharna will resume today at 11:00am and Friday prayers will be offered at the venue. The party also intends to block the National Highway near Ghotki Toll Plaza and Kot Sabzal, in order to bring traffic flow to a standstill.
According to reports, Sukkur-Multan Motorway would also be blocked by creating hurdles near Rohri Interchange, while the Indus Highway - which connects Sindh and Punjab - would be blocked through protest on Kandhkot By-pass.
JUI-F workers continued their sit-in protest at the Hub River Road. The party's workers assembled at the road with blankets and pillows. Protesters claimed that they would not leave the venue until Prime Minister Imran Khan did not resign.
In Balochistan, the JUI-F plans to suspend traffic by placing hurdles on Hub River Road — the gateway to Balochistan. Closure of Quetta-Chaman Highway is also reportedly part of the Plan-B.
Balochistan-Punjab border could also be blocked by creating hurdles near Dera Ghazi Khan's Taunsa tehsil. The JUI-F also kicked off Plan-B in KP by blocking different main highways.
The decision to block highways in the province was taken by the provincial executive body of the party a day earlier. The party workers led by local leaders blocked main highways at four points in the province. The main Malakand Road was blocked at Chakdarra, the gateway to the seven districts of the Malakand Division. The Karakoram Highway was blocked at Chattarplain in Mansehra district, Indus Highway was blocked in Bannu and GT Road in Hakimabad, Nowshera.
According to the provincial spokesman for the party Abdul Jalil Jan, 'Azadi March' had not been wrapped up rather it had entered into 'Plan B'. He said that the march would continue till the ouster of what he termed as illegal, incapable and corrupt rulers. Abdul Jalil Jan said that JUI-F would not sit in peace until the removal of the government and announcement of fresh elections.
MANSEHRA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl provincial head Maulana Attaur Rehman on Thursday claimed that roads were being blocked across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the consent of opposition parties. "We have blocked main roads in four places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and what we are doing is in accordance with resolutions adopted by all parties conference," the JUI-F leader told reporters in Chatterplain area where his party activists blocked the Karakoram Highway for traffic.
He said that main arteries were blocked in Mansehra, Chakdarra, Swat and Bannu. "The road blockade will continue ill the resignation by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Though people have been suffering from blockade of roads in the province, it is a must to get rid of the incompetent government," said the JUI-F leader.
"We have not ended our sit-in in Islamabad abruptly. We are blocking the main arteries in parts of the country under the strategy," he went on add. Speaking on the occasion, Mufti Kifayatullah, the district head of the party, reiterated his party's stance of rendering sacrifices to get rid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. Meanwhile, the passengers travelling between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained stranded the entire day. Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the KKH. The district police officer, Zaibullah Khan along with the superintendent of police Arif Javed visited sit-in and reviewed the security situation there.
NOWSHERA: The JUI-F workers blocked the Grand Trunk Road linking KP with Punjab at Hakeemabad for traffic till indefinite time.
Speaking on the occasion, JUI-F's district head Qari Muhammad Aslam, general secretary Mufti Hakim Ali Haqqani, former lawmakers Engr Tariq Khattak, Qurban Ali Khan, Alhaj Pervez Khattak and others criticised the rulers imposed on the nation through the rigging.
They said the prime minister along with his ministers, advisors, chief ministers, governors should resign in accordance with the promises made with the nation on the container. The JUI-F leaders said that their sit-in in Islamabad had not failed but switched over to Plan-B under which they would block the main roads. They said that the prime minister should suppress his opponents as much as he could tolerate tomorrow. The protesters gave passage to ambulances, school vans, and other emergency vehicles. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan chairing a meeting chalked out security and traffic plans. The meeting was attended by the assistant commissioners and police officials. The traffic was diverted to other routes and Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway.
BATKHELA: The JUI-F workers blocked the Malakand-Peshawar Road at Pull-e-Charkhi for all kinds of traffic. The ambulances and school vans were allowed to cross the road. Speaking on the occasion, Mufti Fazal Ghaffar, Mufti Kifayatullah, Maulana Hujatullah, Qazi Ayaz, Habibul Hassan and others said that their sit-in would continue till the next call by the central leadership.
