Long march restricts twin-city residents’ movement
Tuesday, January 15, 2013 - Islamabad—Residents of the twin cities Monday faced grave problems in movement in the cities as most of the major roads were blocked and public remained off the roads in the backdrop of Long March of Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ). Citizens residing in Minister Colony, Judges Colony, PTV and major hotels had to walk on foot to reach their destinations as the Red Zone Islamabad was completely sealed for all kinds of traffic. To ensure security of the area, district administration blocked all roads leading to Parliament Lodges, MNA Hostels, Federal Lodges, Gulshan-e-Jinnah and Minister Colony etc. by placing heavy blocks.
Similarly, to stop the entry of participants of the Long March into Rawalpindi city, Mehrabad Chowk, Chohr Chowk, Miserial Chowk, Chok Syedan Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Rawat T Cross, High Court Chowk, Khanna Chowk, Faizabad Chowk and many other chowks were blocked. No one was allowed to cross the blocked road even in cases of emergency, creating troubles for the residents.
A desperate resident of Islamabad talking to media said that he wanted take his son, who broke finger of his one hand in an accident, to hospital but he was not allowed to cross Blue Area and was asked by the policemen deployed there to take a U-turn and adopt alternative route to reach hospital. “I pleaded to the security official deployed on Blue Area Chowk to let me take my son to hospital and showed them hurt hand of my son but they did not allow me to cross the hurdles,” he said, adding his son might suffer from lifelong disability due to the insensitivity of the administration.
Public transport remained off the roads as the Muttahidda Transporters Association Rawalpindi and Islamabad had announced to keep the vehicles off the road. Business community, office goers and people in emergency had to walk to their destinations.
Despite the announcement of Interior Minister Rehman Malik commercial activities in the twin cities remained suspended on Monday. According to details, Federal Minister Rehman Malik on Sunday announced that government has made arrangements to keep the situation under control during long march by Dr Tahir Ul Qadri and business and commercial activities in the twin cities would continue as per their routine. However, contrary to his remarks business and commercial activities in the twin cities remained fully suspended not even a single market was open in the business hub Blue Area on Monday.
Trader’s community who earlier announced to keep their shops open but on Monday situation was contrary to that. All the shops on Blue Area that is hub of the economic activities remained closed. Traders on Monday keep their shops closed on the advent of long march when hundred and thousands of people are approaching to federal capital and federal capital has been turned into garrison city.
Traders community demanded from the government to provide fool proof security to them and also demanded Dr Tahir Ul Qadri to pay them their loss. They said that it is very unfair that due to vested interests of single individual their business is suffering and closure of market in the economic hub of capital blue area and other areas would result into million of rupees loss to the deteriorated economy.
Talking to media, trader’s of twin cities said that situation is not favorite to keep their business on. They said that if any unpleasant activity happens then who would be responsible for it. They said that although closure of business is not in their interest and also for the country however they have no any choice but to keep their shops close on such critical situation.
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