GUJRAT: Police and the National Highway Authority (NHA) on Saturday partially cleared the obstacles created at the river Chenab bridges and toll plazas to stop the workers of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) from reaching Islamabad after about a fortnight.

The operation was launched in the evening to refill three trenches dug up near the Chenab toll plazas following the directions from the federal and Punjab governments. However, only one bridge has been opened yet for both sides of traffic on the GT Road.

District Police Officer Umar Salamat, who led the operations at both Chenab and Jhelum rivers to restrict the TLP marchers, told Dawn that 100 trucks and containers parked over the three bridges of the river were being removed whereas the machinery had started refilling the trenches to restore the smooth flow of traffic.

At least 8,000 police personnel belonging to various districts, including those of Lahore, had been deployed at the bridges of Chenab and Jhelum for the last 15 days. The Gujrat police provided food and lodging facilities to the force that, according to claims of the authorities, had successfully restricted the TLP from crossing the bridges.

A senior officer said the deployed forces had performed the duties in two shifts of 12 hours each during which they were served with meals and other eatables whereas tents and mosquito repellants were also provided to them.

The people of Gujrat experienced the worst-ever blockade and suspension of internet services as well as trade and business activities during the time when the TLP workers were there and the locals had started getting impatient. However, restoration of traffic on the GT Road has brought a sigh of relief for them.

The official sources said the TLP leaders had given an undertaking to the federal government that participants in the Wazirabad sit-in would not move towards Islamabad after the authorities had pledged fulfilling the TLP demands as per the agreement. They said that only after the undertaking, the authorities cleared the obstacles at the Chenab toll plazas and bridges.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2021