PESHAWAR: The motorists and commuters suffered due to the closure of major roads in the provincial capital and other parts of the province for the second consecutive day as the mobs continued to protest the acquittal of Christian woman Aasia Bibi by the Supreme Court in a blasphemy case.

The private schools remained closed due to security reasons, while some informed parents by text messages about the campus closure on Friday.

The KP Private Educational Institutes Management Association later announced that all private schools and colleges would keep their campuses across the province closed on Friday.

Thin attendance was reported in government schools and offices as tensions gripped the provincial capital and other areas.

In Peshawar, the street protests and blockage of roads inconvenienced motorists and commuters.

The baton-wielding activists of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan protested at the Pir Zakori Flyover on GT Road, the city’s busiest road, suspending traffic between the provincial capital and Nowshera district.

At midday, around 200 protesters gathered under the flyover and blocked the roads causing traffic jams on the Ring Road.

The GT Road wore a deserted look as the mobs didn’t allow vehicles coming in from Nowshera, motorway and Ring Road to use it.

The motorway’s exit leading to the GT Road was closed, while the vehicles were diverted to the Dalazak Road. The commuters traveled to their destinations on foot due to unavailability of transport vehicles and road blockades.

The intra-city transport vehicles remained off the road. All bus stands located along the GT Road were deserted as the transporters shifted their vehicles to safer places to prevent possible damage by mobs.

A small contingent of police wearing riot gear was also present there. However, most personnel were seen rest inside a roadside enclosure.

In a statement, the city traffic police announced the cancelation of the holidays of all wardens and asked them to return to duty to ‘facilitate’ people.

The protests were also staged in Swabi, Haripur, Karak, Buner, Shangla, Battagram, Dir, Kohat, Charsadda, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan and Orakzai districts against the acquittal of the accused in blasphemy case.

In Swabi, religious and political parties staged a protest at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk, which caused the closure of Swabi-Mardan, Swabi-Topi and Swabi-Jehangira roads and other linking points to traffic.

In Haripur, the protesters blocked the GT Road, while thin traffic was seen on other roads.

The police diverted traffic on Western Circular Road and Chappar Road for security reasons.

In Battagram, protesters closed the Karakorum Highway and torched old tyres at the Kutcheri Chowk.

Also, Dera Ismail Khan city and adjoining areas witnessed streets protests and closure of bazaars and educational institutions.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2018