Thousands of motorists and commuters got stuck on over 25-km long Islamabad Expressway for hours when residents of Ghouri Town blocked the thoroughfare on Tuesday in protest over the eviction notices served by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The CDA had served notices on the residents of Ghouri Town 2 and 3, situated on the eastern side of the expressway, declaring the ten year-old housing project illegal.
The protesting residents blocked the expressway and raised slogans, questioning the authorities as to why the construction was allowed if the society did not meet legal requirements.
The road was eventually cleared when the Islamabad administration intervened as the protestors had refused to negotiate with the CDA.
The Islamabad Expressway is the only major artery linking dozens of housing societies situated on either side of the expressway. The road is also the major link to the Benazir Bhutto International Airport and is frequently used by VVIPs.
Ambulances with patients, students returning home from evening shifts, colleges and universities, elderly women and children, people heading to the airport for flights and those returning home from abroad, all remained stuck during the protest.
