LAHORE: The residents of various areas, mainly Model Town, Faisal Town and Garden Town, felt relief after departure of Qadri-led ‘Inqilab March’ to the federal capital on Thursday.

Those who had been facing massive problems because of barricades and short supplies of eatables due to containers placed on various spots, heaved a sigh of relief after the government announced allowing the march to proceed.

The officials, as soon as the marchers left Model Town, started removing containers with the help of cranes. “Thanks to Allah Almighty who freed us from our confinement to a ‘town of containers’. And now we are leaving for buying national flags and other Independence Day paraphernalia to decorate our house,” says Muhammad Naseem, a resident of Model Town.

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He said that besides Model Town, the residents of Faisal Town, Garden Town, Township, Johar town and adjoining localities were much worried because of the containers placed on all roads leading to residential areas.

“Yesterday, I went to a department store to buy milk. But the shopkeeper said his stock had finished a couple of days ago and there had been no fresh supplies since because the containers supplying food items to Lahore from other cities were impounded by police and placed at various spots in the city to stop the marchers,” he said. Life would return to normalcy by Friday (today) evening in case the government removed all containers.

A police official, deputed at a picket near Barkat Market (Garden Town), said the officials had started removing containers following the government instructions to the effect.

This relief after many days brought people to city markets for buying flags, banners etc.

Meanwhile, the Azadi and Inqilab marches disrupted the traffic flow on various city roads.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2014