Thousands of workers of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) stayed put in Wazirabad on Saturday after being instructed by the party leadership to do so as talks between the government and the religious party continued.
In wake of the TLP protests, the Wazirabad administration sealed all roads leading out of the area in an effort to stop the marchers.
However, on Saturday morning, the Pakistan Rangers used teargas to contain the TLP supporters as they tried to move past Wazirabad through an alternative route that goes through the city.
The TLP supporters opted for the alternative route after the government erected barricades on GT Road and dug up trenches to stop the marchers at the Chenab bridge.
Read No breakthrough in talks with TLP
In the morning, thousands of TLP workers started moving towards Islamabad using a route that goes through the city, but they were pushed back by the paramilitary force that used teargas shells to disperse the protesters. The shelling forced the workers to retreat and are still present inside Wazirabad.
Afzal, a resident of Wazirabad, told The Express Tribune that there were two routes from Wazirabad to Islamabad: one has been blocked by the government while the other goes through the city is still functional.
“There is a route that bypasses the city and connects to the bridge on Chenab River, while the second route goes through the heart of Wazirabad and joins the bridge at Chenab,” he said, adding that the admin didn’t dig up trenches on the second route.
Reportedly, the TLP workers came prepared to cross the hurdles – trenches and barricades – erected by the government to stop them on the bridge. The march participants have cranes to remove containers and large planks to cross the trenches.
The participants of the march had spent the night at Wazirabad Bypass on Friday. They had managed to move towards Gujrat but police pushed them back from Zafar Ali Khan Chowk.
Read Govt refuses to give leeway to TLP
According to the police, the TLP workers were moving towards Gujrat but upon action by the police, they had retreated back to the bypass and stayed the night there.
According to sources, at present, the TLP is sandwiched between the Punjab Police and the Rangers. “At their rear, the police are present while the Rangers have been deployed to the front,” they added.
It may be noted here that the Rangers had drawn a ‘red line’ near Wazirabad yesterday. A warning banner had also been put up by the paramilitary force a hundred meters from the Chenab river bridge near Wazirabad that asked the TLP supporters not to cross the bridge.
Meanwhile, Sarwar Saifi, a TLP leader, claimed that the top leadership of the TLP was present in Islamabad for the past three days, but the government had not approached them. He said the government would be responsible in case of violence.
According to the TLP leadership, another party supporter died as a result of the police violence. They claimed that at least 15 deaths have been recorded since the start of the march.
There were also reports of local negotiations between the administration and the TLP in Wazirabad.
Pindi lockdown
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, people are facing immense difficulties due to the blockades set up on main roads in the wake of the TLP march. Murree Road has been closed for four consecutive days due to the containers placed at various points to stop the marchers.
Offices, banks and commercial centres are completely closed in the adjoining areas.
The residents of the adjoining areas are facing severe problems due to the suspension of the metro bus service and public transport.
The administration has also sealed the roads leading to government hospitals, causing severe distress to patients and their families. The supply of food items in the grain market, vegetable market and fruit market has also been suspended due to the blockades.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ