RAWALPINDI: The city witnessed traffic gridlocks on Friday evening as the police and Rangers conducted a flag march to show their preparedness to ensure peace during Muharram.

The flag march was carried out on the directions of City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi and supervised by SSP (operations) Irfan Tariq.

The flag march started from the Police Lines No 1 and culminated at the starting point after passing through the traditional route of 7th Muharram - Katcheri, The Mall, Chur Chowk, Marrir Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Fawara Chowk, Jamia Masjid Road, Kohati Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, C Block, Sadiqabad, Kuri Road, Gae Wala Chowk on Rawal Road, Airport Road and Ammar Chowk.

The CPO said the objective of the flag march was to display the preparedness of the law enforcement agencies to tackle any untoward incident and maintain peace during Muharram.

He directed all the police officers to ensure effective security arrangements in their respective areas. On the other hand, the police announced the entry points to the city’s longest procession of 7th Muharram that starts from House of Saeen Sadiq and culminates at Imambargah Qadimi after passing through its traditional routes.

According to the security plan, the Azadars will only be allowed to enter the procession from Gul Gulzar House, Abdul Jabbar Street, Chowk Ronda, Dhoke Ali Akbar, Committee Chowk, Dhoke Khaba, Iqbal Road, Khuwaja Jewellers, Fawara Chowk church side, Kashmiri Bazaar, Bansawala Chowk and Bagh Sardaran.

All roads remained jammed packed with the commuters criticising the law enforcement agencies for conducting the flag march at rush hours on the busy day.

“The police should carry out such an exercise on Friday or Sunday because on Saturday most of the residents go to Saddar and Raja Bazaar for their weekly shopping,” said Mohammad Anwar, a motorist, who was stuck in Raja Bazaar.

He said he was going home at Chaklala Scheme-III and remained stuck in the traffic jam for several hours. Mohammad Ali, another motorist at Bank Road, said the government should provide alternative routes for traffic and inform the commuters about such exercises in advance.

He said traffic gridlocks were witnessed on all the roads connecting The Mall and Murree Road as well as Gunjmandi and adjoining areas of Raja Bazaar.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2016