RAWALPINDI: Ali Hussain had to walk from Dhoke Kala Khan to Khanna Pul as the protest by Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) put the traffic out of gear on Islamabad Expressway, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded for more than two hours.

“Why do the police and administration allow everyone to stage protest on Expressway,” he questioned and added that the government should take measures to keep the protesters away from the main highway.

“It is routine for the people to block Expressway. This is not fair; the government should take step to stop this practice,” he said.

Over 500 activists of ASWJ offered funeral prayers for their slain activist, Qari Saifullah, after Friday prayer and blocked the Expressway in front of Zia Masjid near Shakrial.

Qari Saifullah was gunned down on Thursday night along with another activist, Aslam Shakir, on Chakri Road.

In addition to this, traffic also remained clogged on service road from Khanna Pul to Dhoke Kala Khan.

“We were told that hundreds of ASWJ activists were staging a protest in front of Zia Masjid, and this was the reason why we are diverting motorists to alternative routes to avoid any untoward incident,” a police official said.

Hundreds of commuters remain stranded for more than two hours

“We want to go to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) to inquire after the health of my cousin, who is in a critical condition, but there is no van. The taxi drivers are demanding high fare,” said Ruksana Kausar who was waiting for public transport at Khanna Pul with her relatives.

For reaching Islamabad, motorists had to use alternative Lehtrar via Shahzad Town road to reach Aabpara.

However, drivers of the public transport parked their vehicles at Khanna Pul, Aabpara and Melody, creating problems for commuters.

Taxi drivers took full advantage of the situation and charged high fares from commuters. From Aabpara to Kural, they charged Rs70 per commuter against the normal Rs30.

“Asking for Rs70 per person is not much as I have to take alternative routes to reach Kural Chowk,” said a taxi driver, who was loading his cab with passengers at Aabpara.

Earlier, while addressing activists, the ASWJ leaders including Allama Masoodur Rehman Usmani, Mufti Tanveer Alam, Maulana Muavia Azam and others condemned the killing of their party workers in the twin cities. They demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

Meanwhile, activists of ASWJ also nabbed two suspects and after subjecting them to torture handed them over to the police.

“During the last nine months 13 of our activists have been killed in the twin cities, but the police are not taking any step to stop the killing,” said Hafiz Oneeb, a leader of ASWJ.

Heavy contingent of police led by SP Rural Zubair Sheikh were present on the occasion to handle any untoward situation.

Published in Dawn, July 19th , 2014