Twin protests in city centre cause traffic jams

KARACHI:

The city's traffic system came to a grinding halt due to protests at Empress Market and Regal Chowk. Police blocked various roads using containers, water tankers, and other obstacles, causing severe traffic jams in Saddar, MA Jinnah Road, Guru Mandir, Burns Road, Shahrae Faisal, and Lucky Star areas.

Many commercial markets are locate in the area where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan staged protests on Friday. The area is also the major terminal of intra-city buses and wagons traversing from the port area to city centre and onwards to other districts of the metropolis.

The prior notification of the protests did not prompt the traffic police to ensure the smooth flow of traffic on alternative routes, leaving citizens to endure an excruciating traffic jam. The failure of the traffic police to manage the situation resulted in immense hardship for commuters, with no clear resolution in sight.