Charing Cross – the central point of protest for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf – was “shut down” as early as 7:30am on Monday. The crowd swelled at around 5pm when PTI chief Imran Khan arrived at Charing Cross to deliver a speech.
Most shops and markets, including the one on Hall Road, opened early but shuttered down once PTI workers closed the main roads. Burning tyres, stones, barbed wire and barricades were placed on all main traffic arteries of the city. Members of Insaf Students Federation, Insaf Youth Wing and PTI supporters held 28 focal points in the city where they chanted slogans and danced to popular PTI tunes. Heavy deployment of police was observed.
Most of the shops on The Mall shuttered down as protesters blocked Charing Cross and roads leading to The Mall.
PTI Punjab’s general secretary Yasmin Rashid and information secretary Andleeb Abbas monitored the preparations at Charing Cross. Abbas said the call for a shutdown was a demand for justice with regards to alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections. She said they had not forced shops to close.
DCO Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman visited The Mall in the morning. He said the city government had reached an understanding with the PTI that they would not use force.
Dozens of lawyers and members of the Sunni Tehreek, led by Sardar Muhammad Tahir Dogar, joined the protest in the evening.
The provincial assembly’s Monday session was postponed in view of the call for a picket at Charing Cross. Fire brigades and ambulances lined the length of The Mall.
Addressing the rally at GPO Chowk, Yasmeen Rashid said Pakistan was founded by a lawyer and “the new Pakistan will be led by lawyers”. Around 500 members of the Insaf Lawyers’ Forum at the chowk shouted Go Nawaz Go and Go Corrupt System Go.
Rashid said the PTI’s war for justice will continue till they had created a new Pakistan in which the poor got justice at their doorstep.
“We closed Musharraf’s chapter and will now end Sharif’s,” the lawyers shouted.
Mardan Shah, a resident of Shafiqabad, lay on the road at GPO Chowk with five bricks on his belly as a mark of protest. He said he would not get up till Khan visited him. Two men from the Special Branch and DCO’s office, carrying cameras, were briefly detained and harassed by PTI workers.
The main markets in Shahdara remained open during the day. PTI workers had blocked Shahdara Chowk for traffic early in the morning. Traffic from Faisalabad, Sheikhupura and GT Road was not allowed to enter the city till the evening. Workers also blocked Saggian Bridge for traffic.
The protesters did not let ambulances to pass in Shahdara. Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said two patients had died in ambulances on the way to Children’s Hospital after protesters refused to let them cross Shahdara Chowk. Sidra Riaz, a 17-day-old baby, was one of the children who died. Traffic in Shahdara resumed at around 5pm.
Babu Sabu Interchange and Thokar Niaz Beg, two of the eight entrances to the city, were blocked for traffic early in the day. Commuters travelling to Lahore on buses were seen lugging their bags on the roads. Ambulances were, however, allowed to pass at this picket.
Thokar Niaz Baig was blocked at three points. The largest of these gatherings was organised by Malik Karamat Khokhar and Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar. The protesters blocked traffic entering the city from Multan Road. They waited for Imran Khan to address the workers there. PTI workers announced that Khan was a few minutes away, but he did not arrive.
There were very few protesters at Yateem Khana Chowk and while traffic was hindered, it was not entirely blocked.
The protest at Chungi Amer Sidhu on Ferozepur Road began early in the morning and continued till 7pm. PTI supporters chucked stones at a Metro Bus after which the service was halted for the rest of the day. Ferozepur Road was blocked for traffic on both sides of the Metro Bus lane. PTI workers placed burning tyres on the road and shouted slogans against the government. A few protesters climbed an electricity pole and showered the protesters below with rose petals. Several supporters of PML-N held a demonstration at Chungi Amer Sidhu. They shouted slogans in favour of the government. A fist fight erupted after which the PML-N workers went away. Police soon arrived at the scene and placated the PTI protesters. Khan had to cancel his scheduled appearances at Thokar Niaz Baig, Babu Sabu and Chungi Amer Sidhu among other junctions.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2014.
COMMENTS (4)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@nbk What kind of twisted logic is this? Had there no PTI worker stopping / delaying cars who have right on roads and made the father of baby spend several minutes telling and alter several minutes for people moving off the road, Baby may be alive. This is a murder, committed by Imran khan executed by his blind followers. There is no two ways around it. Block my way and my right to drive and I will drive over you!
The 15th day of December 2014's protest led by IK was only a picnic for those who tired up for long week struggle against their livelyhood to earn enough to keep the wolf from the door!
The PTI workers and their masters have been doing uncivilized activities during the procession.
Actually ET, if you had checked your facts, you'd know that the father of the 17 day old baby who passed away gave an interview to Dunya TV where he admitted that PTI workers actually did make space for him after he let them know he was on his way to the hospital. The protestors did not stop the ambulances from traveling. It was just cruel fate unfortunately, even according to him, that they did not get there in time. A correction is needed maybe?
Good Job LAHORE. We have to sacrifice to gain a little. CHANGE is here!