people squeeze past a container at China Chowk to reach their destinations. — Photos by Mohammad Asim
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s motorcade was part of a traffic jam on the Mall in Rawalpindi, where it remained for half an hour on the way to the Noor Khan Airbase.
The congestion was caused after members of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah rally blocked the Faizabad interchange. Although the local authorities had been alerted for Mr Sharif’s arrival in Rawalpindi on the way to the airbase, traffic police were unable to control the congestion caused by the closure of the Islamabad Expressway.
Mr Sharif travelled from Kashmir Highway to Golra Mor, after which his convoy of more than 12 vehicles took Peshawar Road, and arrived at Noor Khan Airbase via The Mall and Airport.
The motorcade was trapped in a traffic jam near the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, and then at the district courts. However, the convoy got a free way from Jinnah Park to Airport. The traffic police had also closed off all the roads connecting to The Mall and Airport Road in order to clear the way for the former prime minister.
MNA Hamza Shahbaz, son of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and a foreign delegation were also caught in a traffic jam caused by the closure of the Faizabad interchange by the rally.
City residents and commuters were also faced with hardship due to traffic congestion on almost all of the city’s major and small roads.
Bumper-to-bumper traffic was witnessed on Airport Road, Peshawar Road, Katcheri, Rashid Minhas Road, Murree Road, I.J. Principal Road, Commercial Market, 6th Road, 7th Road, Chandni Chowk, Kuri Road, Sadiqabad, Rawal Road, Chah Sultan, Mall Road, Saddar, Kashmir Road, Haider Road, Adam Jee Road, Police Station Road and other roads connected to the Faizabad interchange.
Chief Traffic Officer Shahid Ali Yousaf deployed additional traffic wardens to tackle the congestion and place diversions.
Mr Yousaf told Dawn that the police have announced a special traffic plan to facilitate citizens. He said commuters can reach Islamabad via Double Road and 9th Avenue, as well as Airport Road and Peshawar Road.
He said the police also diverted all heavy traffic entering Islamabad via T-Chowk, Rawat, towards Peshawar Road, and all the heavy traffic from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been diverted to the Motorway.
“We immediately called more forces from all the tehsils in Rawalpindi to control the traffic. The VIP movement also hurt but gradually improved the situation,” he said.
Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2017