ISLAMABAD: The killing of a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) worker in Faislabad sparked agitations in Dhoke Kala Khan, Aabpara Chowk and Athal Chowk on Monday evening.

The protesters remained peaceful.

A police officer on condition of anonymity said: “We have orders from our seniors to deal with the PTI activists strictly and register criminal cases against them.”

He said the police had been asked to arrest as many as they can.

The police were reviewing the lists of PTI workers in Islamabad to launch a crackdown on them, he added.

Earlier, news of clashes coming from Faisalabad annoyed the activists of PTI in Islamabad.

They came out in various localities and blocked the roads.

About 150 PTI workers gathered at Dhoke Kala Khan and blocked both lanes of Islamabad Expressway.

The protesters set tyres on fire and chanted slogans against the government and condemned the Faisalabad incident.

Over 100 protesters gathered at Athal Chowk, Murree Road, in Bhara Kahu and blocked it by setting tyres on fire.

Similarly as many as 125 workers staged a protest at Aabpara Chowk.

Due to the protests, vehicles remained stuck on the Expressway and Murree Road, causing massive traffic jams on nearby roads, including I.J.Principal Road.

Traffic remained suspended on the Expressway and Murree Road for over an hour.

Due to the tense situation, the police personnel reached the spots and held negotiation with the protesters.

They succeeded in convincing them to disperse peacefully.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2014