RAWALPINDI: Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) workers and supporters continued their sit-in at Faizabad for the second day on Sunday. Due to the protest, traffic was thrown haywire, disturbing routine life in the garrison city.

The police and local administration closed Murree Road from Shamsabad to Faizabad, forcing people to take a detour to Double Road to reach Islamabad.

As a result, the worst traffic jam was witnessed on Double Road and Sixth Road. Traffic alerts on social media warned people against using Murree Road for travelling to Islamabad.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that the TLP had submitted an application, seeking permission to hold a rally on Murree Road but it was turned down.

“The TLP office-bearers wanted to bring out a rally only for a few hours but due to Muharram, we turned down the request and tried to convince them against it,” he added.

However, he said that the rally was brought out and later the TLP staged a sit-in at Faizabad.

“Now, we are not in contact with the TLP office-bearers as they had staged a sit-in in the limits of Islamabad and the capital administration was negotiating with them to end the sit-in,” he added.

On the other hand, traders were worried about the sit-in as less people visited the markets in Raja Bazaar and adjoining markets on Sunday.

“Usually, people from Islamabad visit Raja Bazaar and other markets for shopping but this Sunday there was a considerable reduction in the number of visitors,” said Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir.

He said traders were already facing the worst financial crisis as they had to pay huge electricity bills, and with less customers, their businesses were getting affected.

He said traders were not against the sit-ins but the capital administration should talk to the protesters so they end their protest as soon as possible.

“Shopkeepers on Murree Road from Shamsabad to Chandni Chowk did no business in the last two days,” he added.

Meanwhile, speakers at the TLP sit-in made it clear that they would continue their protest till their demands were meet.

“We demand that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu be declared a terrorist and the government provide medical and food assistance to Palestinians facing brutality of Israeli forces in Gaza and other areas,” said Hafiz Saad Rizvi.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2024