- Commercial activities are paralyzed due to road closures.
- Restaurants and hotels in Faizabad have also been sealed.
- The minister said the state “would not be subjected to mob blackmail”.
Daily affairs in Islamabad and Rawalpindi remain severely affected for the second consecutive day on Saturday due to road closure and suspension of internet service amid a call for protest by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Major roads and intersections, including Faizabad Interchange and IJP Road, remained completely closed to traffic. The key Faizabad interchange connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad was cordoned off with shipping containers, while Khanna Pul, Kuri Road and Dhoke Kala Khan roads also remained closed for traffic.
The Islamabad administration sealed the red zone and placed containers around D-Chowk to block access.
The administration also imposed a complete ban on the entry of heavy vehicles into Rawalpindi, while the roads leading to the airport were also closed with containers.
Educational institutions are closed while internet service in several areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi remains suspended for the second consecutive day, causing hardship for residents and businesses.
The metro bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was suspended due to security concerns, while police contingents were deployed at Faizabad Interchange, a site known for previous sit-ins by the religious party.
All restaurants and hotels in Faizabad area have also been sealed by the authorities.
Authorities have already imposed Section 144 of CrPC across Punjab, banning display of weapons and prohibiting public gatherings.
These measures were taken following a call for protests in the capital launched by the religious and political party led by Saad Hussain Rizvi.
A day earlier, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry had said the government was making efforts to prevent the TLP’s planned march to Islamabad through peaceful means, asserting that the state “would not be subjected to mob blackmail”.
Chaudhry maintained that the federal government had implemented preventive measures and would not tolerate “blackmail and politics of demands”.
Accusing the TLP of exploiting sensitive issues for political gain, the minister said the party had been involved in attacks on public properties in the past.
Chaudhry questioned the rationale for the march, noting that Palestinians are celebrating the recent peace deal in Gaza.
“The main party involved is the Palestinians, and they are celebrating the recent peace agreement,” he said.
