Roadblocks, clashes paralyse major cities

Violent demonstrations staged in all major cities of the country

QUETTA/ PESHAWAR/ LAHORE/ KARACHI: The belated and botched crackdown on religious protesters camping at the busy Faizabad traffic intersection in Rawalpindi set off matching protests across the country on Saturday.

People in almost all major cities of the country experienced the hardship suffered by the citizens of the twin cities for over a fortnight as protesters blocked main thoroughfares without any warning.



A media blackout and blocking of popular social media sites by the government added to the misery of the people stranded amid the roadblocks without any updated information.

The cycle of disruptive protest, police action and ensuing clashes recurred in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi during most of the day.

Use of force, violence in Lahore

In Lahore, life came to a standstill after protests erupted across the city in reaction to the operation against the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah sit-in.

Protesters started gathering early in the morning at Imamia Colony Phattak, Shahdara, Thokar Niaz Beg Chowk, Data Darbar and the Punjab Assembly. When their numbers swelled, the authorities closed the roads, causing great problems for the people leaving their workplaces.



Carrying clubs and sticks to resist the police action, the demonstrators shouted slogans against the government and deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and demanded removal of Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid.

Replicating the action at Faizabad, the Lahore police also used force against the protesters. They took over 200 protesters into custody and sent them to jail for a month.

Later, the situation spiralled out of control as a large number of protesters gathered outside the Shahdara police station and set ablaze three motorcycles and a police van.

They threw stones and bricks at the building and hit the gate with clubs. A heavy contingent of police was called to rescue the officials barricaded in the police station. Three protesters injured during the clash were admitted to the Shahdara Teaching Hospital.

Mobs deflated tyres of metro buses and damaged vehicles at various locations. They also thrashed commuters and assaulted a journalist in Shahdara.

A mob barged into the Punjab Assembly courtyard and tried to enter the premises. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the authorities asked the law enforces to only respond if the situation spiralled out of control.



The protesters blocked roads and protested at 22 points in the city.

Later, the district administration requested the provincial government to deploy the paramilitary Rangers to help control the worsening law and order situation in the city.

According to Express News, four companies of the Rangers were requisitioned to quell the protests.

Fear revisits Karachi

In Karachi, an eerie silence punctured by vengeful yells engulfed the city after protesters took to the streets in support of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah and held sit-ins and demonstrations at 40 locations.

Motorists were caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic jam on main arteries of the metropolis while business and commercial activities were partially suspended. Star Gate, Nursery and University Road were the worst affected areas where police and protesters engaged in an hours-long game of hide and seek.

At least 32 protesters were injured during clashes with the police, particularly in the Star Gate area. Memon Goth SHO Gulzar Khan and Constable Sabir suffered bullet wounds during the clashes.

Police said they had arrested 18 suspects for attacking the personnel and disturbing law and order in the area.

A meeting of the PPP attended by Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Senator Sherry Rehman discussed the situation in the country.

The party decided to stand by democratic institutions, while asking the government to fulfil its constitutional obligations.

Briefing the leaders on the occasion, CM Shah said the law and order situation in the province was under control.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube to remain blocked until law and order situation improves: PTA

Thousands of people gathered in Hyderabad's Haider Chowk area in the afternoon for a sit-in which continued through the night.

In Mirpurkhas district, protesters blocked the Jhudd-Mirpurkhas road. At least 15 persons were detained in Jamshoro district where protesters staged sit-ins at the Jamshoro and Kotri railway crossings. Hundreds of people marched from Jahaz Chowk in Sehwan to the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

Highway blocked in Balochistan

Traffic on the Quetta-Sukkur National Highway remained suspended for several hours in Dera Murad Jamali and the provincial capital as hundreds of supporters of religious parties staged sit-ins against the crackdown in Rawalpindi.

In Dera Murad Jamali, supporters of various religious parties marched on the highway while shouting slogans against the government. They later staged a sit-in and put up barricades on the highway linking Balochistan with Sindh and other parts of the country. A large number of trucks, coaches, wagons and other vehicles were stranded.

In Quetta, the protesters gathered at Hockey Chowk and caused a worst traffic jam. However, they dispersed after negotiations with local authorities and security personnel.

Tents on road in Peshawar

The citizens of Peshawar were not spared from the ordeal as well. Commuters were stuck in a traffic jam on Ring Road leading towards Jamil Chowk where workers of religious groups staged a sit-in and erected tents to spend the night on the road in solidarity with the Islamabad protesters.

The road is a major thoroughfare and containers loaded with food mostly use it to go towards the Torkham border with Afghanistan.