RAWALPINDI: A day after the city traffic police banned parking along Murree Road between Committee Chowk and Waris Khan, over 150 traders staged a protest against the decision.

On the other hand, the traffic police booked more than 100 protesters on the charge of blocking the busy road and obstructing the police from performing their duty.

The protesting traders of Murree Road gathered on the road and demanded that they should be allowed to use the footpaths for the display of their goods and that the ban on parking along the road should be withdrawn.

The protesters blocked the artery from Committee Chowk and Waris Khan which caused long queues of vehicles on both sides.

“Police will not bow to the pressure of traders and will continue clearing roads from encroachments with the help of the town municipal administration (TMA) to ensure smooth flow of traffic,” City Traffic Officer (CTO) Shoaib Khuram Janbaz told Dawn.

He said a case had been filed with the police against more than 150 protesters who obstructed the police in performing their duty and caused a traffic blockade.

Parking of vehicles on Murree Road between Committee Chowk and Waris Khan has been banned from 7am to 10am and from 3pm to 7pm every day. Extra police have been deployed to impose the ban, he added.

The decision was taken after observing traffic congestion and pubic attraction towards furniture markets, food outlets and auto workshops operating on both sides of the road and footpaths.

“As many as 30 cases have been registered with the police within three days since the police launched a campaign against those found parking their vehicles and encroaching on the road and footpaths,” the CTO said.

He said 46 traffic wardens, four junior wardens, two inspectors and two deputy superintendents of police along with two fork lifters had been deployed between Committee Chowk and Waris Khan to implement the ban on parking.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2016