Victory march: ANP workers protest after Bilour House cordoned off

Barricades placed on all roads leading to the premises amid security concerns.

PESHAWAR:

As leaders and workers of the Awami National Party (ANP) celebrated their victory from NA-1, law enforcement agencies (LEA) on Friday blocked roads leading to the Bilour House over security concerns.

The move enraged ANP workers who retaliated by staging protests lasting several hours on various thoroughfares of the city.

Earlier in the day, the jubilant ANP leadership and workers gathered at Bacha Khan Markaz to celebrate their victory in the by-elections from NA-1. Workers donning the party’s symbolic red cap and shawls danced to the beat of drums while gunshots from celebratory aerial firing reverberated through the skies.

Sweets were distributed both at Bacha Khan Markaz and outside Bilour House. Activists of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were also present among the ANP celebrators and congratulated them for defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).



However, owing to the increasing number of people attempting to enter Bilour House in Cantt, the most sensitive area of the city, security personnel placed barricades on all roads leading to the premises and barred people from entering.

Enraged activists then staged a protest and blocked Mall Road and Sher Shah Suri Road. Around noon, the protesters also blocked GT Road, resulting in widespread traffic problems.

The protesters were led by senior ANP leaders, including Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, who sat down on Sher Shah Suri Road along with the activists to protest against LEAs and the government. Demonstrators chanted slogans against the PTI-led government, claiming it could not tolerate their victory.

“I am being kept locked inside my own house. Send me to jail if I have committed a crime. Certain people are not happy with my success and that is why they are creating hurdles in ANP’s celebrations,” Bilour told the media.

Celebrations were marred further when police registered FIRs against ANP workers for aerial firing all night long. Senior members of the Bilour family were also nominated in the FIR and an accused gunman was arrested from Bilour House.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2013.