Attock Bridge, M-14, Hazara Expressway and other key arteries are cleared for traffic movement.
PESHAWAR:
Following the orders of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to restore public roads for all types of traffic, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police and the administration moved quickly to launch a large-scale operation to open the blocked roads across the province on Tuesday.
Several major routes, including Attock Bridge, M-14, Hazara Highway and key roads in Dera Ismail Khan, were reopened and protesters dispersed as roads were cleared.
The KP Inspector General of Police (IG) gave immediate instructions to regional and district police officers to ensure speedy implementation of the court’s directives.
The IG emphasized that the apex court had clearly stated that hindering the public’s right of movement was a violation of the Constitution. He ordered all officers to comply with court orders and restore traffic flow without delay, prioritizing the ease of movement of citizens.
As part of the operation, barriers blocking Attock Bridge on GT Highway, connecting Punjab and KP, were removed and traffic was restored. Roads connecting Dera Ismail Khan to Mianwali and Chashma, as well as the M-14 highway from Dera Ismail Khan to Islamabad, including the CPEC York toll plaza, were also cleared.
In addition, traffic was cleared on the Hazara Expressway, including Havelian and Muslimabad junctions.
“The main objective of the operation is to provide citizens with convenience in their travels, avoid disruptions to businesses and daily activities and assure the public that road blockages will not be tolerated,” the IG said. He stressed that the right to movement, guaranteed by the Constitution, would be fully protected and road blocks would not be permitted in the future.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi apparently expressed disapproval of the IG’s actions, saying they showed he was following instructions from elsewhere.
“In my opinion, the honorable judiciary should investigate the matter before issuing any order. What do the people want? Why are they sitting there?”
Earlier, the PHC had issued a direct order to the IG and chief secretary to immediately open the roads and submit a report to the court by the end of the day, while also taking action against those who took the law into their own hands.
The court expressed its strong disapproval over the forcible closure of the expressway and GT Road by PTI workers protesting the health problems of party founder Imran Khan.
The court issued a written order, running into two pages, and during the hearing, Justice Ijaz Anwar expressed his anguish, saying, “The entire province is cut off from the country. What has the administration been doing? How many people have been charged so far? While the province is suffering from terrorism, the roads are blocked. Is it appropriate to protest in such circumstances? It is unfortunate that the ruling party is protesting and causing distress to the people of the province.”
The hearing was conducted by a two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Anwar and Justice Farah Jameela. The petitioners, including Subhiya Shahid, Yusuf Ali and Shaoor Wardag, informed the court that PTI workers had closed the expressway and GT Road. The protesters had blocked the highway at Anbar Interchange and GT Road near Attock Bridge for the past five days, causing serious inconvenience to the public and disrupting the movement of citizens.
The petitioners argued that the right to free movement is guaranteed by Article 15 of the Constitution. Despite this, the local administration, the National Directorate of Highways and other authorities turned a blind eye to the road closures.
Judge Anwar asked the KP Attorney General to clarify how many people had faced legal action for blocking roads. The general counsel asked for more time to compile the data.
However, Justice Anwar insisted that it was not necessary to provide details of past cases, highlighting the urgency of the matter. “The roads are closed and it has been several days now. What has the provincial government done so far? How many cases have been registered against the protesters?” asked.
Citizens suffer as PTI blocks roads
PTI workers and supporters had blocked major roads and highways in KP in protest over the alleged denial of access to jailed party founder Imran Khan, including meetings with his family, lawyers, sisters and personal doctors.
The demonstrations severely disrupted traffic, isolating Punjab province and other regions.
Long queues of vehicles formed on the Peshawar-Islamabad highway near Sabzi Mandi junction as well as on key routes such as Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar highway, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali highway, Hazara highway, Abbottabad-Havelian junction and Kohat-Pindi highway.
Travelers, including women, children and patients, are left stranded for hours and face severe hardship amid the lockdowns. Residents expressed widespread frustration and anger, with many wondering why people in the province, who voted overwhelmingly for the PTI, are bearing the brunt of the protests.
“People voted for the PTI in this province, so why are ordinary citizens being punished like this?” commented one stranded traveler. Critics argued that if protests were necessary, they should target Islamabad or other federal areas rather than disrupt provincial life.
