Transporters stop plying buses on GT Road due to protests

Islamabad: The majority of long-route transporters were not plying their transports on GT Road while residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing a shortage of food items because goods transporters are also reluctant to come on roads due to sudden protest demonstrations of PTI supporters for some days.

The transporters of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have stopped all kinds of transports going to Punjab areas via GT Road due to protest demonstrations of PTI workers therefore Rawalpindi Railway Station remained jam-packed with passengers here on Sunday. The Soan Terminal, Hamrahi Terminal, Pirwdahi Terminal, Faizabad Terminal, and Peshawar Morr Terminal have stopped their transports going to Punjab areas via GT Road.

On the other hand, residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing fear and panic regarding the present law and order situation showing the worst kind of embarrassment to see tear gas shelling, rubber bullets, and blockages of movements from all sides on regular basis for some days.

All Pakistan Traders Association (Punjab) President Sharjeel Mir has warned that if the situation does not normalise, people should brace for a shortage of food items in the coming days. The inflation ratio will further increase due to a shortage of food items, he warned. People were already facing record inflation in the country, we could not bear an unrest situation, he said.

The PTI supporters have been protesting at T-Chowk near Rawat and Faizabad Interchange on regular basis. The PTI supporters are trying to occupy Faizabad Interchange permanently but Islamabad police use tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters.

The office goers and students are facing hell-like situations on regular basis and appealing to higher authorities to resolve this issue immediately to ease the life of common citizens. ‘The News’ interviewed people belonging to different walks of life who said that Islamabad and protest demonstrations and ‘sit-ins' should be banned in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Muhammad Adeel, a resident of Shamsabad said that Rawalpindi and Islamabad were famous for their beauty and peaceful life but now they are famous for protest demonstrations and ‘sit-ins’. “We are already facing record inflation and shortage of food items will further increase their prices,” he warned. All food items even milk and meat were also coming from other areas of Punjab and KP but roads were blocked for some days. How we could survive in this situation, he said.

All business activities and petrol pumps along Murree Road close down in minutes during the protest demonstration. The motorists faced worst situation and have to wander here and there in search of petrol on the occasion.