The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police to ensure the reopening of roads blocked by PTI workers and protesters by today.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar and includes Justice Farah Jamshed took up the set of petitions filed by MPA Sobia Shahid, lawyer Tariq Afghan, Swabi resident Yousaf Ali and Shaoor Khan against closure of roads.
The protesting PTI workers have blocked KP’s entry and exit points for the last four days, demanding shifting of party founder from Adyala jail to hospital for treatment.
KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel appeared in court. At the outset of the hearing, Justice Anwar inquired about how many days it had been since the roads were blocked. “The roads have been shut for the past three days. Initially, 14 points were blocked, and now protests are underway at six points,” the KP IG replied.
Justice Anwar wondered whether shutting roads was not a violation of the law, pointing out that lawyers for six cases were unable to reach the PHC from Islamabad.
The judge highlighted that the laws guaranteed citizens the right to freedom of movement, but they were still facing difficulties. He inquired about the number of FIR registered over the road blockades. “The traffic situation in Peshawar is the worst in the entire country. In fact, there is no traffic system in this province,” Justice Anwar observed, at which IG Hameed expressed his strong agreement.
“We are now trying to streamline this, and are initiating e-challans,” the police chief assured the court.
Justice Anwar quipped, “When the police want to take action against someone, they do. When they do not want to, then this happens.”
Justice Anwar said it was “unfortunate that the ruling party here is protesting and hurting the province’s people”.
Utmankhel assured the bench that “no one would defend any wrong act.”
IG Hameed sought two days for the police to “fix the situation”, but Justice Anwar declined the request, ordering that the roads be opened today. “Begin today, and do not let anyone block the roads,” he stressed. “The entire country is open, but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is shut. This is against our own people.” “The motorway should not be closed off under any circumstances,” he added, noting that people could not leave their houses due to the blocked routes.
Protesters had blocked the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway.
“Reopen the roads and ensure the same,” Justice Anwar ordered, telling the KP IG and the chief secretary to submit their reports regarding the matter by tomorrow. Subsequently, the bench adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.