PAT victims: VIP visits put Pindi citizens to test

Several roads remain closed as Shahbaz, Nisar, other party leaders visit DHQ.

RAWALPINDI:

Citizens in the garrison city had to endure another intractable day on Wednesday after all roads leading to District Headquarters Hospital were closed by the traffic police to make way for the motorcade of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who visited the hospital to check up on injured police officials.

The traffic police blocked Liaquat Bagh Road near Liaquat Bagh, Ganjmandi Road near Nullah Leh Bridge and other connecting roads by diverting traffic to Murree Road, which is  already partially-closed due to work on the metro bus project.

The closure of roads caused massive traffic jams on Murree Road and Ganjmandi Road up to Bakery Chowk.

Meanwhile, patients and their attendants were not allowed to enter or leave the hospital after the main gates were closed prior to the chief minister and his team’s arrival.

The chief minister, accompanied by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and other PML-N leaders, were with the injured policemen for about 35 minutes, during which time people were left common folk were left to wait outside the hospital.

“This is the third day we have faced the same situation. If there is threat to their lives, why don’t they avoid travelling instead of creating problems for the public,” said Muhammad Hussain, who had been stopped by the security staff outside the hospital. He was going to check up on his mother, an inpatient at the hospital.

Hospital sources said Shahbaz distributes cheques worth Rs300,000 each among 33 injured police officials.

After meeting the injured police officials, the chief minister avoided the waiting media as, according to sources, he had been warned of security threats to his life.

A minor clash also broke out between media persons and security guards, and the security staff locked some of the journalists inside a ward until the chief minister left the hospital.

Shahbaz was the fourth VIP who visited the hospital to check up on injured police personnel. On Monday, Khwaja Saad Rafique visited the hospital and also put the citizens to the test. On Tuesday, the same routes were closed twice in a single day when Information Minister Pervez Rashid and Punjab Inspector General Police Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera separately visited the hospital.

“Khadim-e-Ala (special public servant) and his team are becoming Zehmat-e-Ala (special trouble) for the common man,” commented Sadiq Shah, a resident of Ganjmandi.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2014.