ISLAMABAD
APP
Residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have started coming back to their normal routine despite the ongoing sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).
The Azadi and Inqilab marches started from the Independence Day and disrupted the daily routine of people belonging from all walks of life as they were unable to reach their offices or work places owing to road blockages.
The marchers have badly affected the daily lives of students, patients, labourers, business community and others, inflicting huge losses to them.
Asim Raza, an employee at a private firm, said, “I am back to work from Monday this week despite few hurdles on the roads and traffic jams as it is not affordable to avail weeks long holidays in private organisations.”
“The Azadi and Inqilab marches have only affected the common people who are already suffering due to the prevailing price hike, load shedding and other issues,” he said.
Business and academic activities have started opening in different areas of the twin cities, reviving the routine hustle and bustle of the cities, while the educational institutions would open from August 25 (Monday).
Shagufta Mahmood, a mother of three, said, “Both these marches have badly affected the academic routine of my children like all other students and ultimately they would not be able to cover their syllabus in time.” The authorities concerned must arrange extra classes for the students to help them cover their syllabus so that they could get good grades in the final exams, she opined.
Jawad, a musician, said that sit-ins had totally suspended cultural and musical activities in the twin cities for the last two weeks and it was difficult for his family to run household affairs without any other source of earning.
“Whenever, there is political rift in the country, artist community suffers the most as musical and cultural activities are only arranged in normal situations,” he said.
Saeeda Kiran, a government employee, said, “It is difficult to concentrate on official work when uncertainty and sense of insecurity prevails. I hope that the situation would get normal soon and the issues will be settled amicably.”
In his comments, Islamabad Citizen Committee (ICC) President Ahmad Rana said there was growing anger and resentment among the local citizens, who see their lives paralysed in federal capital in the wake of Imran Khan and Qadri-led sit-ins.
“Our comfort and normal activities have been put at stake, we are victims of the political agenda being persuaded by the two leaders,” he said.
“We are greatly perturbed as it was not yet clear, as how long the sit-ins will continue. We are seriously concerned over the risk to our lives during the ongoing sit-ins,” Rana said.