September 28, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 15, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: Security-conscious authorities paralysed life in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Thursday on the occasion of filing of nomination papers by presidential candidates.

Both cities looked under virtual siege, one more severe than witnessed on September 10 when former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was returning from exile and on May 12 in Karachi to block Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s visit to that city.

Roads entering and linking Islamabad and Rawalpindi were blocked and police allowed only those persons to proceed to the capital city who could satisfy it that they had genuine business there.

In the capital city the Constitution Avenue, on which the Election Commission office and the Supreme Court are located, was declared a Red Zone. Nobody was allowed into the area except mediapersons and employees of government institutions.

Security sources said about 185 political activists were rounded up by the Rawalpindi police during last two days.

Public transport could not operate between the twin cities and was quite thin on some routes inside Islamabad, as was attendance of employees in government and private offices.

Parents scared of political trouble on the day, kept their school-going children at home. Thin attendance made many private schools announce a holiday.

Some other private educational institutions were even more thoughtful as they decided to remain closed on Friday too - in case the announcement of Supreme Court’s decision on petitions filed against holding of two offices by President Gen Pervez Musharraf trigger street violence.

It seemed the heavy deployment of rangers and police in Islamabad on Thursday did not inspire much confidence.

Huge containers and other obstructions put on major roads linking Rawalpindi to Islamabad caused great inconvenience to citizens.

Almost 10-kilometre stretch of Murree Road from Marrir Hassan to Faizabad Interchange was blocked with containers, tractor trolleys and trucks at all crossings - Chandni Chowk, Shamsabad, Stadium Road and in front of Rawalpindi General Hospital.

Moreover, Rawal and Saidpur roads were also closed for any kind of traffic while Pindora Chungi which connects with Stadium Road was also blocked.

People were being stopped at all entry points, like Satra Meel, Baees Meel, Rawat, Golra Mor and Turnol since Wednesday night. But the biggest crowd was seen at Faizabad Thursday morning.

Cars and people headed for Islamabad were subjected to police search at entry points before being allowed to proceed, if at all.

There were reports of verbal encounters between angry citizens and security personnel but fortunately of nothing uglier.

The local administration and police had to pay a heavy price for erecting a barricade near Pak Secretariat. To their bad luck, besides ordinary people, some judges of the Supreme Court, including Justice Javed Iqbal, got stranded at the point.

On the judges’ complaint the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the road obstructions everywhere and summoned senior police and local administration officials in the court and ordered them to remove all obstacles from the roads.

In Rawalpindi lawyers tried to take out a procession from the district courts to Islamabad but was stopped by the police at Sir Syed Chowk.

Hamid Asghar from Gujar Khan adds: The police blocked the Grand Trunk Road and link roads at Mandra Toll plaza, Guliana Mor in Gujar Khan Tehsil, Sohawa-Chakwal road and Tarakki Toll Plaza in Sohawa Tehsil.