PTI leader forced to reopen Murree Road in Pindi

RAWALPINDI: The official spokesperson of Chief Minister Punjab, Fiazul Hasan Chohan, reopened the Murree Road after facing a strong backlash by the people of the garrison city here on Thursday.

A large number of people, including senior citizens, had shown strong resistance to the official spokesperson of Punjab government over the blocked road. PTI’s Fiazul Hasan Chohan, along with his workers, blocked the main Murree Road from Rehmanabad to Faizabad. The local people, including senior citizens, met Chohan and strongly denounced him over the road blockades. They said that Imran Khan was talking about Riasat-e-Madina but was acting totally against the principle and continuously creating unrest throughout the country. The PTI supporters were blocking the roads on the directions of Imran Khan, they said.

Fiazul Hasan Chohan directed the protesters to reopen the road and left the spot. Talking to the media, Chohan said that they did not call off the protest but only reopened the main artery. He claimed they were protesting peacefully. “We will continue demonstrations till further direction of Imran Khan,” he claimed.

The locals of the garrison city have strongly reacted to the statement on peaceful protests by PTI supporters. They wondered what kind of peaceful protests he was talking about when PTI supporters were not only burning tyres but also pelting stones on motorists on roads.

Talking to The News, people belonging to different walks of life strongly protested against the local administration and the Punjab Police for failing to provide protection to them. With road blockades continuing for the fifth day on the Murree Road and other major arteries of Rawalpindi, the situation in the city has turned volatile with local police playing the role of a mute spectator.

Motorists and motorcyclists have to find alternative routes to reach their destinations as main routes have been blocked by a handful of protesters who have set up their camps along these roads. Suspension of public transport by local transporters as well as the Metro Bus Service also created problems for public.

The main Murree Road from Rehmanabad to Faizabad was blocked due to the ongoing protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers and supporters against the assassination attempt on former premier Imran Khan. The protesters burnt tyres to block both sides of the Murree Road.

The deputy commissioner, Rawalpindi, once again issued a notification to close down all public and private institutions here on Thursday. All public and private educational institutions were closed down for three days due to the bad law and order situation all around.

The ambulance service was also suspended and several vehicles transporting patients to hospitals got stuck in the traffic gridlocks. The PTI workers set tyres on fire and raised slogans against the government on Shamsabad, Murree Road, on Thursday.