Traffic snarl-up as PTI flexes political muscle
The show of strength by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Rawalpindi on Saturday caused traffic jams in various areas of the garrison city as rallies of ruling party workers headed to the public gathering venue at Liaquat Bagh.
In spite of assurances by the orgnaisers, the members ignored coronavirus precautionary guidelines in the public meeting of PTI.
The traffic snarl-ups were also seen on different thoroughfares of the garrison city due to the influx of convoys from different parts of the district with improper traffic arrangements.
As per the details, the oath-taking ceremony of PTI Northern Punjab newly elected office bearers was organised at Liaquat Bagh on Saturday. PTI Chief Organiser Saifullah had ensured strict security arrangements and the participants entering the jalsa venue passed through metal detector gates.
However, the organiser could not ensure the implementation on coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) devised by the government of his party in the gathering.
The party leaders as well as the workers fearlessly flouted the Covid-19 precautionary guidelines and almost all of the participants were seen without facemasks.
Further, due to the influx of convoys from different parts of the district to Rawalpindi, different roads of the garrison city including Rawal Road, Murree Road, Liaquat Road, Kutcheri Chowk, Marrir Chowk, Gawalmandi, and Raja Bazaar experienced traffic snarl-ups. City Traffic Police (CTP) remained absent from the scene owing to which the motorists faced extreme difficulties. Many ambulances and rescue vehicles remained stuck in the traffic as well.
The long-hours traffic jam returned to normal after two hours after the end of the public meeting.
A huge convoy of PTI workers from Gujjar Khan led by Chauhdry Muhammad Azeem particpated in the public gathering. Before leaving for the garrison city, Azeem said that PTI was the only party in Pakistan which was following the policy of merit for bringing forward the people to mainstream politics .The patriotic youth of Pakistan are joining PTI to give their share in the country progress, he added.
Azeem said that the right policies of the government had put the country on the track of development and expressed that the politics off corrupt element has been eradicated. The aware masses of Pakistan particularly youth were standing shoulder to shoulder with Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking the country forward.
The PTI President from Chau Syedan Raja Zulfiqar Aslam also participated in the gathering. Before leaving for Rawalpindi, he went to the party's Chau Syedan Secretariat where the workers welcomed him with zeal.
He said that the PTI had to prove that it was an organised party. He assured that reservations of workers would be addressed and rejected the notion of grouping in the party.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2020.