Destination Islamabad: Many Hazara residents denied entry into capital

GT Road blocked at Shahiya toll plaza, long queues form on Hattar-Taxila Road

HARIPUR: To stop PTI supporters in Hazara and beyond from reaching the capital, Punjab police has barricaded all entry points from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s biggest division.

Owing to roadblocks, tourists, employees of different government, semi-government, private organisations, businessmen and students travelling by GT Road had to stay home.

Following the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan to descend on his Bani Gala home, party workers from the six districts of Hazara division and Gilgit-Baltistan were scheduled to reach the capital on Monday.

However, the Punjab police blocked the main GT Road at Shahiya toll plaza by placing containers and heaping gravel on the road late on Sunday.

“Till yesterday [Sunday], they (Punjab police) had partially allowed traffic from Hazara. But from Sunday night, the main artery linking Hazara division and Gilgit-Baltistan with Punjab and other parts of the country has been completely closed,” said Mustafa, heading the police post at Jhari Kas, the exit point of Hazara, while talking to The Express Tribune.

He added that large containers had been placed on the GT Road from Hazara, hardly leaving any space for even motorcycle riders to pass through.

However, the Hattar-Taxila Road and the Khanpur- Taxila Road were open throughout the day with heavy contingents of Punjab police and FC on alert. Officials had moved shipping containers to these two roads, but had placed them on the side.

Mushtaq Khan, another Assistant Sub Inspector with the Haripur police, said that officers of Punjab police had told him that they were waiting for orders from their seniors before moving these containers onto the roads and blocking the routes.

The ASI said that given the situation, police could block these two roads at a moment’s notice.

Owing to  blockades, foreigners, especially some Chinese visiting different projects, had to alter their travel plans. However, the police officials were of the view that students, office workers, and businessmen were the worst affected by the blockades.

Sohail, a resident of Haripur who was travelling to Islamabad to visit a relative hospitalised there, said that he did not face any obstacles while entering the capital from the Hattar side, but he did complain that traffic on the road was slow. He added that the real problem was at the Sangjani toll plaza where heavy contingents of Punjab police and Islamabad police were checking cars and stopped him from going further.

Meanwhile, Hazara-based PTI workers and leaders chose to join K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khatak’s procession at the Swabi interchange via Sirikot -Swabi Road.

Those trying to travel to Bani Gala individually, or in small groups, opted for the hilly route of Pir Sohawa and Lora.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2016.