- Commercial activities are paralyzed due to road closures.
- Restaurants and hotels have also been sealed in Faizabad.
- The Minister says that the State “will not allow itself to be blackmailed by mobs.”
Daily affairs in Islamabad and Rawalpindi remain severely affected for the second consecutive day on Saturday due to closure of roads and suspension of internet service amid a protest call by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Major roads and intersections, including Faizabad Junction and IJP Highway, remained completely closed to traffic. The key Faizabad junction connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad was sealed with shipping containers, while Khanna Pul, Kuri Road and Dhoke Kala Khan routes also remained closed to traffic.
The Islamabad administration sealed the Red Zone and placed containers around D-Chowk to block access.
The administration has also imposed a complete ban on the entry of heavy vehicles into Rawalpindi, while the roads leading to the airport have also been sealed with containers.
Educational institutions are closed while internet service in several parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi remains suspended for the second consecutive day, causing hardship to residents and businesses.
Metro Bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was suspended amid security concerns, while police contingents have been deployed at the Faizabad junction, a site known for previous sit-ins by the religious party.
The authorities have also sealed all restaurants and hotels in the Faizabad area.
Authorities have already imposed Section 144 of the CrPC across Punjab, which prohibits display of arms and public gatherings.
The measures were taken following a call for protests in the capital by the political and religious party led by Saad Hussain Rizvi.
A day earlier, Minister of State for Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry said the government is making efforts to prevent the TLP’s planned march towards Islamabad by peaceful means, stating that the state “would not be blackmailed by mobs”.
Chaudhry maintained that the federal government had implemented preventive measures and would not tolerate “blackmail or lawsuit politics.”
Accusing the TLP of exploiting sensitive issues for political gain, the minister claimed that the party was involved in attacks on public properties in the past.
Chaudhry questioned the reason for the march, noting that Palestinians are celebrating the recent peace deal in Gaza.
“The main party in the matter is the Palestinians, and they are celebrating the recent peace agreement,” he said.
