Iftar rush chokes Rawalpindi arteries

On the first day of Ramazan, the city's traffic system in Rawalpindi virtually ground to a halt during school opening and closing hours in the morning and again between 4pm and 6pm at iftar time on Thursday.

Major roads, markets and junctions remained heavily congested, with traffic moving at a crawl. On Murree Road, from Marir Chowk to Chandni Chowk, vehicles inched forward "like ants" during peak hours.

Severe gridlock was reported on Rawal Road, Iqbal Road, Raja Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Talwaran Bazaar, BATA Bazaar, the wholesale markets, Ganjmandi Road, Hamilton Road, Liaquat Road, City Saddar Road, Banni Chowk, Jamia Masjid Road, Kohati Bazaar and College Road.

Areas with large clusters of pakora, samosa and kachori stalls, as well as milk and yoghurt shops, were particularly affected, with barely enough space for a single vehicle to pass. Many residents, including families with children, were forced to break their fast while stuck in traffic.

Key intersections - including Marir Hassan Chowk, Marir Chowk, Liaquat Bagh Chowk, Committee Chowk, Shah Tallian on Murree Road, Fawara Chowk and several underpasses - also witnessed prolonged congestion, as did markets in densely populated neighbourhoods.

Commuters alleged that traffic wardens appeared more focused on issuing fines to motorcyclists than on easing the flow of vehicles. They claimed that if a rider made even a minor mistake in an attempt to reach home before iftar, several wardens would converge, confiscate the motorcycle key, move the vehicle aside and issue a fine of Rs2,000.

Citizens strongly criticised the situation and demanded that wardens be instructed to prioritise traffic management during peak iftar hours rather than imposing heavy fines.

A spokesperson for the Traffic Police, however, maintained that wardens had worked diligently on the first day of Ramazan to keep traffic moving smoothly.

Ramazan begins with price surge

On the very first day of Ramazan in Rawalpindi, soaring prices left fasting residents reeling, with many complaining that an "inflation bomb" had been detonated at the first iftar.

The cost of fruit, vegetables and traditional iftar items surged sharply. Bananas were being sold at Rs300 per dozen, while kinnow and oranges ranged between Rs350 and Rs400 per dozen.

Apples were priced between Rs250 and Rs400 per kilogram, guavas at Rs350 per kg, strawberries at Rs1,000 per kg, melons at Rs300 per kg, grapes at Rs700 per kg and pomegranates at Rs750 per kg.

Consumers expressed shock at the steep prices as they shopped for iftar.