Lockdown: Residents anxious ahead of showdown

Capital continues to wear deserted look as people stayed indoors, glued to their TV sets ahead of arrival of marches

ISLAMABAD:

The capital continued to wear a deserted look on Friday as people stayed indoors, glued to their TV sets ahead of the arrival of PTI and PAT marches.

Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa arrived in Islamabad on Thursday night and Friday.

Most of the streets and markets had no activity. “People are scared to go out. We thought the situation will get normal but it is getting worse,” said Saba Shahid, a housewife who came to G-13 Markaz to shop. She was scared to take her car out and therefore decided to go on foot.

Kashmir Highway at Golra Morr, Islamabad Expressway and Murree Road at Rawal Chowk witnessed prolonged traffic jams as PTI supporters moved towards Zero Point.

Groups of PTI supporters came in buses, trucks, cars, on motorcycles and on foot.



The commuters had to walk from Aabpara to Rawal Chowk as public transport remained off the road.

“I left my car at my cousin’s place in G-6 and walked it all the way to Rawal Chowk, said Kamran Ahmed, who wanted to reach his home in Bahria Town.

In absence of the Islamabad Traffic Police wardens, PTI workers controlled the traffic flow at various places along Kashmir Highway.

Patients suffered the most because of road blocks and lack of public transport.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2014.