Karachi citizens suffer traffic snarls near PTI rally point

Gridlock reported at Numaish, Lasbela, Gurumandir and Shahrah-e-Quaideen

KARACHI:

While Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah dominated political headlines, its impact on Karachi's traffic became the city's pressing concern on Sunday.

Following the party's announcement of a public gathering near Mazar-e-Quaid, large numbers of workers and supporters began converging on Bagh-e-Jinnah ground. By afternoon, participants had occupied adjoining areas including Numaish Chowrangi, effectively paralszing traffic flow.

The closure of Numaish Chowrangi triggered severe congestion across surrounding arteries. Commuters remained stuck for hours in gridlocks stretching through Gurumandir, Lasbela, Shahrah-e-Quaideen and Khudadad Chowrangi. Sudden surges in traffic pressure at multiple points left citizens frustrated, with many lamenting that traffic police were nowhere to be seen.

Read More: K-P CM convoy delayed en route to Bagh-e-Jinnah as PTI cries foul over ‘blocked’ roads

Residents reported that in several locations, motorists attempted to regulate traffic on their own, struggling to restore movement amid the chaos. "We were left to manage the situation ourselves while officials disappeared," one commuter remarked.

Meanwhile, University Road continued to witness routine jams due to ongoing development works, affecting Hassan Square, Gharibabad, Rashid Minhas Road, NIPA and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

In contrast, traffic police officials maintained that no formal complaints of gridlock were received. They acknowledged pressure on Shahrah-e-Quaideen and Gurumandir but claimed that measures were initiated promptly to ease the flow.
The disruption underscored how major political rallies in Karachi often spill over into civic life, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the brunt of traffic paralysis.