Residents face hardships due to road blockades

Islamabad : The residents faced uncertainty and a law and order situation as the government and participants of the long march were seen locking horns in various areas of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

According to the details, the majority of the residents thought it sensible to stay at home as the law and order situation was quite uncertain due to police raids and clashes with the participants of the long march. The residents of the twin cities faced severe difficulties, while a large number of patients remained unable to reach hospitals. The absence of public transport on various routes also caused problems for commuters.

Irfan Malik, a resident of Islamabad, said the political parties should adopt a civilised method for their protests instead of causing pain and agony by blocking roads. “The green capital is fast losing its charm as a destination of choice because political unrest after every four to six months is diluting the fun that was once associated with life in Islamabad,” he said. The residents were of the view that political parties think about their vested interests and never hesitate to block main arteries and hold the city, its dwellers, and commuters hostage for lengthy and, more critically, uncertain periods of time.

Mehreen Akram, a resident of Rawalpindi, said “It is wrong to hold protests by causing trouble to other peaceful people in general and the residents in particular. Instead of blocking traffic, they should protest in a democratic way.”

“There is no reason to block roads because it always leads to problems and often ends up in violent activities. The government should adopt a better strategy to deal with this protest long march,” she said. The residents maintained that the political parties must develop an understanding to stage protests and hold public meetings at specific locations without causing any kind of problems for the general public.