Twin cities paralysed

Cellular networks go offline, roads remain empty, schools closed

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: Life in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi ground to a halt on Friday as a protest by religious groups left many roads blocked, schools closed, markets shuttered and communications unavailable.

Owing to a blockade at the Faizabad Interchange, which lies on the confluence of Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi, inter-city traffic was non-existent.

Business activity around Faizabad was also non-existent.

The metro bus, which provides one of the few public transport services for those travelling from Rawalpindi to Islamabad and back. However, it remained closed for a third consecutive day.

Coupled with the closure of key thoroughfares and public transport staying off the roads, commuters had to face extreme difficulties in getting to their destinations with many opting to walk for miles on end. Those heading from suburbs such as Kahuta, Gujjar Khan, Murree, Kotli Sattiyan, and Taxila could not make it to work.

As a result, attendance in public and private offices remained quite low, affecting productivity.

Moreover, police officials could not transport suspects from the Adiala jail to the courts in the twin cities. As a result, hearings in all civil courts came to a halt. With no plaintiff or defendant appearing, the courts could only adjourn hearings without any proceedings.

Owing to the strike call, all educational institutions in the city remained shut as well. Schools and colleges are expected to remain closed on Saturday as well.

To make matters worse, the strike and threat of violence meant that many fuel pumps were shut causing further distress to commuters who had to search high and low for fuel.

The closure of banks meant that people could not transact business, though it mattered little since all the markets in the city were shut as well.

Owing to the closure of the main highways leading to and from the federal capital including the Grand Trunk (GT) Road and the motorway meant that foodstuff could not be transported to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, leading to a shortage of food items at the few stores which peeked through their shutters.

During the course of the day, there was a cat and mouse game between the protesters and the police with the former blocking roads and causing traffic jams while the latter would chase them away only to have the protesters return after a while and block traffic again causing great inconvenience to commuters.

Owing to the air of fear, all the parks in the twin cities remained shut, offering no recourse for residents.

However, the closure of cellular networks is what made life most difficult for people since they were not able to connect to their friends, co-workers or loved ones.

Meanwhile, the Sihala police have rounded up at least four protesters for blocking roads, obstructing officials in performing their duties, damaging state property. These protesters, along with 12 others, have been booked under anti-terror sections of the law.

Religious groups had continued their protest in the twin cities for a third day on Friday against the acquittal of a Christian woman who had been facing the death penalty for blasphemy.

The Supreme Court had on Wednesday overturned the conviction of Aasia Bibi, a mother of five, and ordered for her to be freed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2018.