A nightmare on Peshawar’s streets: JUI-F protest brings provincial capital to a standstill

GT Road blocked, traffic rerouted to Ring Road, Jamil Chowk, Dalazak and Kohat roads.

PESHAWAR: The city’s residents had trouble commuting on Sunday as major roads remained closed for traffic to facilitate Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) protest against the provincial government.

Traffic police DSP Asghar Marwat told The Express Tribune traffic was rerouted from GT Road to Ring Road for the day, while vehicular traffic between Pir Zakori Bridge and Suri Bridge remained suspended for nearly six hours due to the protest being held on GT Road near the Peshawar Bus Terminal. Hundreds of commuters were inconvenienced because of the closure of roads.

“Public transport and other vehicles were shifted to alternate routes, including Ring Road, Jamil Chowk, Dalazak Road and Kohat Road,” shared Marwat. As many entry and exit routes to the inner city were blocked, residents were forced to leave their vehicles parked at the roadside and travel on foot.

“We know it is a problem but we don’t have any other option,” explained Marwat.

He added 224 traffic police officials were deployed to regulate the flow of traffic, including 60 on Ring Road, 44 on GT Road and 120 on multiple other routes.

According to a security official, check posts were set up on service roads and 300 police officials were deployed on GT Road and on various rooftops to provide security for the JUI-F rally.

“Elite force and intelligence agencies personnel in civil clothes were also deployed to search everyone crossing the barricades,” he said.

However, the residents of Peshawar expressed displeasure over the multiple barricades and increased security provisions.

Waqas Shah, a resident of Yakatoot, said such protests and barricades have become a norm in the city and are quite an inconvenience.

“Political parties and the government should arrange such things outside the premises of the city so they don’t disrupt the lives of people,” Shah pointed out.

“We are already fed up with the law and order situation and political leaders keep adding to our miseries,” he complained.

“JUI-F has paralysed Peshawar,” said Abdur Razaq, a resident of Firdous Bazaar.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2014.