PTI Protest
Islamabad woke up to a tense and unusually quiet morning on Sunday following a night marked by clashes between supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and law enforcement agencies.
The situation in the capital and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi has been grim since PTI’s protest began on October 4, bringing daily life to a standstill as the protest enters its third day.
With the Metro Bus service between the twin cities suspended and mobile signals cut off, residents have been facing significant difficulties. Businesses across Islamabad and Rawalpindi remain largely closed, severely disrupting the usual flow of life.
One of the main arteries of Rawalpindi, Murree Road, has been shut down for three consecutive days, with containers placed at strategic points, blocking the road and creating immense hardships for commuters.
The roadblocks stretch from Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi to Faizabad, where obstacles and heavy security presence by Punjab Police have made mobility nearly impossible.
Security forces remain on high alert, and many areas are heavily patrolled. The road closures have especially affected those trying to reach hospitals, as ambulances and patients struggle to navigate the city’s congested and blocked routes.
Additionally, the suspension of mobile internet services has crippled online businesses and left residents without reliable communication.
Authorities have reassured the public that mobile services will be restored soon, but the lack of connectivity has added to the frustration of the citizens. Despite the roadblocks and suspension of services, some key roads within Islamabad remain open.
The Expressway and Kashmir Highway are still accessible, while Murree Road and Airport Road continue to allow traffic. However, all routes leading to and from the Red Zone, a high-security area, remain sealed off.
The M1 motorway connecting Islamabad to Lahore has reopened, with previously dug trenches now filled in. Similarly, the M2 motorway leading to Peshawar is also operational again.
Amidst the protest, the whereabouts of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who was leading the PTI protest from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remain unknown.
Gandapur has been incommunicado since Saturday evening after entering the KP House in Islamabad. Initially, reports emerged on Saturday that he had been arrested, based on information from ‘security sources,’ but the federal government quickly issued a statement denying his arrest.
Faraz Mughal, Gandapur’s spokesperson, also reported that all attempts to contact the chief minister had been unsuccessful.
In a statement, Mughal claimed that the PTI protest had been called off just before Gandapur went missing, though no official announcement has been made.
The uncertainty surrounding his disappearance and the continued unrest in Islamabad has left the situation unresolved, with no clear indication of when normalcy might return to the capital.
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