The public transporters and CNG stations owners’ strike entered its second day on Tuesday. Normal life in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained disrupted owing to the shortage of public transport. The entire public transport system, including mini-buses, was on strike while the Murree Road remained blocked for more than 6 hours. Large groups of people, mostly students and officer-goers, protested at Faizabad and Bharakau early in the morning against the unavailability of public vehicles. The baton-wielding protesters blocked the Murree Road at the Faizabad Interchange and the Kashmir Highway near Bharakau. The Faizabad Interchange was the most disturbed spot as local residents, transporters and representatives of the CNG dealers also joined the protest.
The protestors also burnt tyres at Faizabad and placed cement blocks and poles and other obstacles on Murree Road. The protesters raised slogans against government for its failure to tackle the gas crisis. They also pelted the police and private vehicles with stones, smashing the windshields and windows of dozens of vehicles. The police arrested 12 protesters and resorted to a light baton-charge and aerial firing to vacate the Murree Road. However, the expressway remained open throughout the day.
A senior police official said dozens of trouble-makers had been identified and the police were after them. The Bharaku police also managed to disperse the protesters and the Kashmir Highway was reopened at 10:00 am. Due to the transporters’ strike, many people were forced to walk to their destinations. The taxi drivers had a field day and charged passengers triple the normal fares. “On normal days taxis charge Rs 100 to travel from Zeropoint to Faizabad but today they were demanding Rs 400,” said Rashid Khan, a government servant.
Meanwhile, the All Pakistan CNG Association led by the association President Ghayas Paracha held a demonstration in front of the Parliament House in which around 20 dealers participated. Ghayas Paracha said their protests would continue till the government withdrew the ban. “We want sufficient supply of gas to all CNG stations. It is unfair of the government to stop the supply.” The protesters raised slogans against the government. PML-N lawmaker Hanif Abbasi also joined the protesters to express his solidarity.
Protests affect students’ study routine
Protests in the twin cities due to the prevailing gas crisis in the country has disturbed the study schedule of students and affected their preparations for various examinations. As the protest demonstration and strike by transporters against the CNG price hike entered the third day, it badly affected routine of the people, especially the students. The teachers or students who travel by their own vehicles could not manage due to the violent protests, during which the protesters also damaged personal vehicles of the road users. Majority of the students as well as teachers were also unable to attend their respective educational institutions due to unavailability of transport and blockade of several main link roads of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
“Protests have badly affected the study routine of the students who are already burdened with a lot of syllabus due to weekly offs and were attending extra classes to cover it,” Shafqat Abbasi, a teacher of a local government college, said.
Amir Shehzad, a student of class 6, said, “Protests have spoiled my study routine and reduced attendance as I could not attend the school during the protests.” “The protests may not disturb the routine of the students of the private schools offering the facility of online study. But it is difficult for us to carry on the study smoothly,” he said. It has been observed that some of the private schools of the twin cities have extended winter vacation due to prevailing protests.
350 protesters booked
At least 350 protesters, including All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association (APCNGA) President Ghayas Paracha, were booked for blocking roads and staging violent protests against the suspension of gas supply. Industrial Area police registered an FIR against Ghayas Paracha, Rawalpindi/Islamabad Transport Union President Malik Sultan, and other 200 people for blocking Islamabad Expressway and Murree Road on Monday. Moreover, Bhara Kahu police registered an FIR against more than 200 protesters for blocking Kashmir Highway and damaging government and private vehicles in protest against suspension of gas supply to CNG stations. Bhara Kahu police arrested 10 protesters, including Adil Abbasi, Waqas Abbasi and Liaqat Ali. However, they didn’t arrest any protester.
