Marchers buy woolies, as JUI-F chief extends stay

Vendors selling warm clothes and food make a quick buck

ISLAMABAD:

Azadi march participants rushed to markets and stalls near the camp site to buy warm clothes following announcement of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that they will be offering Friday prayers at the protest venue.

Fazl’s announcement repudiated rumors circulating on media that the Azadi march might be called-off at any instant. He told protesters that they would offer another Friday prayers at the venue.

The announcement thus cleared the minds of the protesters from the confusion that whether they would spend another day in the federal capital or head back to their homes.

Azadi marchers brave rain, cold

Knowing that their stay had been prolonged, the enthusiastic participants started preparing themselves for the chilling climate in the federal capital on Thursday. Although, the majority of protestors were from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and well accustomed to cold, they were in the open at the protest camp.

With temperatures dropping to 13 degrees Celsius in the night, protesters thronged to nearby markets and stalls along the venue to purchase warm clothes and accessories.

Vendors, sensing demand have made supply of sweaters, woolen jerseys as well as dry fruits available for the protestors.

Eyeing a good opportunity, a number of shopkeepers have set up businesses in and around Sector H-9 ground to cash-in on demand for daily use items, food and warm clothes.

Hawkers selling vegetables and fruits also arrived at the venue at dawn, while their presence also provided relief to the Azadi march participants who would not have to walk far from the venue for purchasing these necessities.

It has also been witnessed that the protesters prefer preparing meals for themselves instead of buying food from the markets, keeping in view their budget and hygiene factor.

On the day, the participants repeated the practice of dividing themselves into groups, purchasing meat and other ingredients from the market according to the requirement and cooking meals for themselves on wood or stoves installed in portable gas cylinders.

Meanwhile, the sanitation staff of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) did not return to the protest venue on Thursday owing to which the ground has been littered and there were heaps of garbage everywhere around. The lethargy of IMC staff might create difficulties for the protesters as there is a high probability that the venue might transform into a breeding ground for different viruses and bacteria.

Earlier on Wednesday, Islamabad Commissioner Aamer Ali Ahmed had ordered IMC sanitation staff to clean up the protest site.

A senior IMC official, who did not wish to be named, said that orders from the commissioner for cleaning the venue were only for Wednesday. “We did not receive any further directions from the mayor or any other high official for cleaning the protest site Thursday,” he said. Besides, the organisers of Azadi march also had no complaints about the venue’s cleanliness, he said.

However, The Express Tribune tried to contact Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz, but he could not be reached.

Azadi march containers create traffic havoc

Furthermore, the free medical camps established at the protest venue by district administration continued their operations on Thursday. Participants suffering from winter illnesses including flu, cold, cough and such ailments received free consultation and medicines from the camps. Apart from administration-run camps, the Red Crescent Society has also established a free medical camp at the protest site on Thursday.

IG visits venue

For boosting the morale of the security personnel on duties in Azadi march, Inspector General (IG) Islamabad Police Amir Zulfiqar Khan had lunch with policemen at the protest site on Thursday. The security personnel were pleased to see IG between them.

IG hailed the commitment of policemen who were doing security duties in nights and declared them his heroes. He said that the police were ready to deal with any kind of situation.