Islamabad police closed several key entry points to the red zone in the federal capital in response to a demonstration called by lawyers.
The demonstration also led to the suspension of metro services on several lanes between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, causing significant disadvantages to shuttles.
According to reports, the buses operating between Rawalpindi and Islamabad were limited to the Faiz Ahmed Faiz station. In addition, the itinerary of the Kashmir highway at the Pak Secretariat was closed following the orders of the District Administration.
The entrance points to the red zone of Serena Chowk, Express Chowk and Nadra Chowk was blocked.
Closing the red zone has caused significant traffic disturbances, leading to a strong congestion, with long lines of vehicles forming on Margalla Road while the drivers are trying to enter the red zone.
The report also mentions that citizens trying to visit government offices in the red zone, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were blocked due to road closings.
In a traffic notice issued by the Islamabad traffic police, it has been declared that in the case of law and order problems, the entrance and exit routes to the red zone will remain closed.
The opinion also mentioned that on February 10, 2025, the internal and external roads to the red zone will be closed.
Traffic police have confirmed that the entrance and exit of roads to the red zone, notably Serena, Nadra, Marriott, Express Chowk and T-Cross near Bari Imam, will be temporarily closed from 6 am to new opinion.
Police asked the public to use other routes, such as Margalla Road, to avoid any travel drawback. Islamabad traffic police assured that they will help and guide citizens during this period.
Traffic police have also advised citizens to contact the 1915 traffic assistance number or follow the social media platforms of the Islamabad traffic police for more advice.
The opinion of the federal capital’s traffic police confirmed that Margalla Road remains the only route to enter the red zone.
Last week, Islamabad’s legal organizations firmly opposed recent transfers of judges, which considered them an attempt to divide the judiciary and an act of bad faith.
Addressing the media, the chairman of the Islamabad bar council, Advocate Aleem Abbasi, said that all representatives of district and high courts associations were present at the emergency meeting.
The Pakistan Judicial Commission (JCP) is expected to meet on Monday (today) to examine the elevation of eight judges from the High Court at the Supreme Court despite the calls of certain judges and sections of the legal community to postpone the meeting.
Barely a few days ago, four judges from the Supreme Court wrote to Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, who also heads the JCP, requesting a postponement. In addition, a member of the JCP also wrote a separate letter urging the chief judge to delay the new appointments to the Supreme Court.
The JCP of 13-Memmer is led by the chief judge of Pakistan and includes four judges of the Supreme Court, as well as by parliamentarians of the Treasury and the Opposition and others.
