Anti-US protest causes severe traffic jams

LAHORE:A large number of activists of Imamia Students Organisation (ISO) staged a strong protest demonstration over the killing of Qassem Soleimani against United States of America in front of American Consulate on Friday.

The protestors were carrying placards bearing slogans against America. The charged activists of ISO chanted slogans against the American forces and pledged to take the revenge.

Soon after Friday prayers, the students and leaders of Shia community started gathering outside the American Consulate near Lahore Press Club and blocked the road for every kind of vehicular traffic. They termed the attack fatal for America.

The ISO leader said the world peace was at risk due to the policies of United States. He said United States was also involved in Israeli atrocities against the innocent people of Palestine.

He said that they would stage more protests at different places to strongly condemn the brutal killing of their leader. He said Qassem Soleimani had played a key role in bringing peace in the region.

Killing the supreme leader of Shia community is like waging a war against Muslim Ummah, he added. A huge number of protestors surrounded the Lahore Press Club which resulted into traffic mess continued for over two hours. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed on Davis Road, Egerton Road, Abbott Road and Empress Road. City Traffic police could not manage the traffic flow due to the sudden influx of protestors.

As the protest continued until peak hours (offices closing hours), the pressure of traffic around the Lahore Press Club further mounted bringing the traffic flow to a standstill. A number of ambulances were also stuck. The commuters completed the distance of minutes in hours.

Heavy contingents of Lahore Police, anti-riot force were immediately deployed outside the Consulate to avert any untoward incident. Police mounted barriers in front of Consulate gate to stop protestors from entering the premises. Additional force of traffic wardens was also deployed in the area to manage the traffic flow. Later on, the protestors dispersed peacefully. Police contingents remained deployed for the security of US Consulate.