ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI: Public life remained suspended across the country on Sunday as baton-armed supporters of Tehreek-e-Labaik party continued blockade of several intercity highways and roads in major cities.
While religious activists clashed with security forces for a second day on Sunday outside the federal capital, burning several vehicles before withdrawing into an uneasy stand-off at a protest camp they have occupied for last two weeks, the federal government called in Punjab Rangers to the aid of civilian law-enforcement agencies and tasked them with handling the agitated law and order situation in Islamabad besides clearing the sit-ins held in Faizabad and adjoining areas.
According to a notification issued by the interior ministry, a copy of which is available with Daily Times, Punjab Rangers DG Maj Gen Azhar Naveed has been appointed in charge of the whole operation. According to the notification, Rangers have been given a week’s time to carry out the orders, as the special powers have been extended to them with effect from November 26 till December 3, 2017.
Earlier in the day, Rangers were given charge of the Faizabad operation, as around 1,000 Rangers personnel, who were deployed in Islamabad on Saturday, were repositioned to the frontlines of the security operation.
Islamabad was the most affected city as protesters gathered near Kachnar Park and set police vehicles alight early Sunday morning. Five motorcycles and one car belonging to the police personnel were burned, police said, adding that the vehicles were their personal property. The enraged protesters set a police checkpoint at Expressway near Rawat to fire and pelted stones on police personnel. The protesters gathered in Taramri Chowk on Islamabad’s Lehtarar Road and blocked it.
Police alleged that the protesters abducted two policemen from Islamabad’s Sohan area.
The GT Road and motorway connecting Islamabad to Lahore remained blocked on Sunday. Despite orders from the civilian government to the army on Saturday night to help restore order, no troops were at the scene around the protest camp in Faizabad, witnesses said. “We still don’t have orders to launch an operation. We will act as the government orders us,” Rangers commander at the scene Colonel Bilal said. “We have surrounded the protesters from all sides. We can move in when the government orders us,” he added.
“We have orders just to contain them,” Islamabad’s Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Ali said.
In Karachi, Sohrab Goth, Teen Hatti, Liaquatabad, Korangi, Hub River Road and other areas were reported blocked, while Shahrah-e-Faisal routes leading to the airport and railway station were cleared. Protests also badly hampered train operations, causing significant delays.
In Sukkur, protesters caused closure of markets and hotels and staged a demonstration outside the city’s press club, Sarafa Bazaar and Mochi Bazaar.
In Hyderabad, demonstration sit-ins were ongoing at Hyder Chowk. Protest demonstrations were also held in Badin, Nawabshah, Tando Allahyar, Tando Adam and Kotri.
In Lahore, sit-ins were reported at Shahdrah, Green Town, Hamdard Chowk, besides other areas. At Faisal chowk, protesters cut off connection to the Safe City CCTV cameras.
In Multan, metro service was reported to have been closed for the second day because of the demonstrations. Protesters blocked Ghanta Ghar Chowk, Nawa Shehr and Kachheri Chowk among other areas. Some petrol pumps were also forcibly closed.
In Mirpur, protesters blocked Mangla Bridge, which links Azad Kashmir to rest of the country.
In Peshawar, protesters held a sit-in at Jameel Chowk and blocked the Ring Road. Supporters of religious parties condemned Saturday’s operation in Islamabad. Protest demonstrations and rallies were taken out in various cities of the province, including Nowshera, Abbottabad and Swabi districts.
Though protest demonstrations were held in Quetta and Sibbi against the crackdown, no untoward incident was reported from any part of Balochistan. Protesters, holding a demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club, expressed solidarity with the Islamabad protesters and demanded resignation of the federal law minister.
Published in Daily Times, November 27th 2017.