KARACHI: A protest near the Karachi Press Club (KPC) caused major traffic disruptions across Saddar Town on Wednesday, leaving a large number of commuters stuck in long queues.
Roads near the press club were closed ahead of a planned protest by the PTI to mark three years since the imprisonment of party founder Imran Khan and demand his release.
In an alert at 6:25pm, traffic police said that due to a protest on Quba Masjid Road, traffic was moving slowly on Sir Shah Suleman Road, University Road, National Stadium towards Hassan Square and Hassan Square towards NIPA and surrounding areas.
The alert added that police were on hand to manage traffic flow in these areas.
Another alert from the traffic police at 5:38 pm reported that both sides of Chaudhry Khaliquz-Zaman Road, near Gizri Bridge towards the Saudi consulate, were closed for traffic.
“Area residents are protesting due to unavailability of electricity and water,” the alert read, adding that there were alternative routes from the Saudi consulate towards Khayaban-i-Shamsheer and Jam Sadiq Signal, as well as from Submarine Chowk towards Punjab Colony.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has taken notice of the congestion and issued strict instructions to the Sindh inspector general and the Karachi additional inspector general to restore traffic flow.
“Traffic should be cleared from Sadar, Old City Area, MA Jinnah Road and Zainab Market immediately,” he was quoted as saying in a statement from his office. “Additional traffic police personnel should be deployed on the roads and a report should be submitted.”
He further ordered that queues of cars on Napier Road, Regal Chowk and Bolton Market should also be cleared.
More to follow
