ISLAMABAD: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman directed the party workers late on Thursday night to open the highways, but set a deadline of 9am on Friday (today) for the government to release the arrested party leaders and activists.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the joint opposition, Maulana Fazl said if the government didn’t release the party people by 9am, he would again give a call to his workers to block the highways.

Accompanied by BNP chief Akhtar Mengal, the Maulana said he was announcing end of the protest keeping in view the hardships faced by the commuters, including women and children.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association asked lawyers to boycott courts on Friday to protest the manhandling of former SCBA president and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza during police action at Parliament Lodges.

Earlier, enraged JUI-F workers blocked roads and highways in different parts of the country. They blocked the Hazara Motorway, Mad­ran-Peshawar Motor­way, Nawab Shah-Sakrand Road, and Pak-Afghan Highway at Jamrud.

All highways linking Balochistan with Sindh and Punjab were blocked by the JUI-F workers at various points. Traffic was suspen­ded between Quetta and Ka­­rachi after the JUI-F activists blocked the Natio­nal Highway at Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar Uthal and Hub.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2022

Editorial

Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...
Dangerous law
Updated 17 May, 2024

Dangerous law

It must remember that the same law can be weaponised against it one day, just as Peca was when the PTI took power.
Uncalled for pressure
17 May, 2024

Uncalled for pressure

THE recent press conferences by Senators Faisal Vawda and Talal Chaudhry, where they demanded evidence from judges...
KP tussle
17 May, 2024

KP tussle

THE growing war of words between KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi is affecting...