Daily Times

LAHORE: Protests by religious groups continued for a second consecutive day at more than 22 locations in the city on Sunday. The main sit-in was held at The Mall outside the Punjab Assembly.

In the situation, Qaumi Tajar Ittehad announced to close down all markets across the city to avoid any untoward situation in the city on Monday as well. All markets, including Hall Road, Azam Market, Badami Bagh, Sarafa Bazaar, Mcleod Road Market and other important bazaars and markets will remain closed today (Monday) due to the law and order situation in the city.

The business community said that the decision was taken for the safety of the people as well as businessmen.

The City Traffic Police also issued a traffic diversion plan for road users. CTO Rai Ijaz said that citizens should avoid all protest points. He added that citizens should call the traffic police helpline (15) for further details about the traffic situation across the city. “They can tune into FM 88.6 for traffic updates on city roads traffic situation,” he said.

On the other hand, an angry group of protesters attacked the house of Food Minister Bilal Yaseen at Mohni Road. The protesters pelted the minister’s house with stones and damaged windows and doors. The protesters also set ablaze the posters of the minister placed near his house. They also tried to forcibly enter the minister’s house and set fire to the building.

However, neighbours gathered outside the house and stopped the protesters. Later, the protesters dispersed after chanting slogans against the government.

All hospitals remained on high alert due to the protests to cope with any emergency in the provincial metropolis as well as across the Punjab.

The administrations of all government teaching hospitals claimed to have made special arrangements to provide maximum possible medical, surgical or emergency medical cover to citizens in any emergency.

All the emergency wards of hospitals are on high alert while the paramedical staff has been instructed to remain vigilant to ensure treatment of the patients in case of an untoward incident.

The Health Department also issued instructions to ensure presence of doctors and medical staff in all public sector hospitals, autonomous and specialised medical institutions throughout the province.

Sources said that Health Department officials had directed hospital administrations to ensure the availability of sufficient stock of lifesaving drugs and keep medical instruments, patients’ lifts in perfect working order and standby generators as alternate source of electricity as well as fully functional operation theaters.

Moreover, the administrations were directed to ensure that fully-equipped ambulances with trained staff were also available, along with keeping stock of blood and blood donors’ list of all groups in the blood bank of every hospital to meet any untoward situation.

Sources added that surgeons, specialists, technicians, nursing staff and other health personnel would also remain on alert and they would not be allowed to leave the station without permission. The administrations of all city hospitals were further directed to boost the security inside the premises as well as around the hospitals, especially at the main entrance and exit points of the hospitals.

They said that walk-through gates had been installed outside the emergency wards where security guards would check visitors through metal detectors.

The protests caused a massive gridlock after police tried to stop the protesters by barricading roads. Traffic on The Mall came to a standstill as stick-wielding protesters did not let any citizen pass through. The workers placed barricades on their own and police acted as a silent spectator. Traffic police officials and personnel of Anti-Riot Force were seen standing idle at a distance from the protesters.

Published in Daily Times, November 27^th 2017.