GUJRAT: Commercial activities and daily life in the town of Sara-i-Alamgir, Gujrat district, have come to a standstill due to the blockade of the city’s entrance and exit points to stop Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP’s) march on Islamabad.

After spending a night in Kharian city, the march participants resumed their journey on Thursday and arrived in the town before evening. They are expected to stay there for the night and proceed to their next destination, Jhelum, on Friday.

Earlier, the march participants removed the containers parked at the bridge over the Upper Jhelum Canal to enter Sara-i-Alamgir. Advancing further towards the next destination could potentially create a law and order situation in the town, where a heavy contingent of police and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) has already been deployed to maintain order.

The security arrangements have forced local traders along the main GT road to shut down their businesses. There is a near-complete shutdown on the highway, and some markets in adjoining areas have also closed.

Mosques located along the main highway of the city have been closed by the authorities.

The main GT Road in the city is filled with containers, trucks, and other heavy vehicles. Local authorities have dug up trenches near the Jhelum River bridge on both sides of the national highway, bringing the routine flow of traffic between Lahore and the federal capital to a halt and causing significant inconvenience to the people in the region.

Volunteers from Jamaat-i-Islami’s Alkhidmat Foundation distributed food and water to the drivers and crew of stranded heavy vehicles, while workers of former PML-N MNA Malik Hanif Awan distributed food and drinks to the police personnel performing security duty in the area.

An administrative official said that Sara-i-Alamgir is the last town of the Gujranwala region along the GT Road. After crossing the Jhelum Bridge, the Rawalpindi division begins. That is why security has been intensified in the area to prevent the marchers from advancing towards the federal capital.

The TLP march, led by party chief Saad Rizvi, started from Karachi towards Islamabad.

Official sources said the talks between the federal government and the representatives of TLP are underway in Islamabad as TLP has been demanding the reduction in the prices of petroleum products, electricity, gas, daily use items as well as seeking some relief to its activists who had been registered among the list of fourth schedule of anti terrorism act, inclusion of sections 6/7 of ATA in the cases of blasphemy and other such points.

Authorities are making efforts to avoid clashes between TLP workers and LEAs, and it is hoped that the issues will be resolved amicably without resorting to violence.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2023