On the arrival of the Chinese premier, mobile phone services were suspended for three hours in the twin cities . PHOTO: FILE
With the arrival of the Chinese premier, residents of the twin cities were once again at the receiving end on Wednesday as mobile phone services were suspended for three hours and roads were sealed.
The Pakistan Telecom-munication Authority (PTA) had issued a notification on Tuesday night stating that mobile phone service would remain suspended in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi from 10am to 1pm, said Khuram Mehran, spokesman PTA.
“It seems life has been paralysed as the roads have been sealed and mobile phones are not working,” said Farhan, a resident of Chak Shahzad.
There was a massive traffic jam on Murree Road where commuters had to wait in long queues in scorching heat for the road which was sealed for more than 45 minutes. Shahban Khan, a resident of Malpur who was suffering from nausea, was stuck in a cab for two hours. His family tried to take him to Polyclinic Hospital at around 11:30am after borrowing money from neighbours to hire a cab. “My husband was suffering from severe pain lying in the cab which was stuck in a long queue on Murree Road in this scorching heat,” said Sobia Khan.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) Spokesperson Shams Gill said the roads were sealed only during the VIP movement and police officials tried their best to control traffic on alternative routes.
ITP had chalked out a traffic plan and made it public through various media outlets, he stated. “Some 300 traffic police officials were deputed on the capital’s roads including the Red Zone to ensure smooth traffic flow.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2013.
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