LAHORE: A severe traffic mess was witnessed on the roads amid the Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) anti-government protest at Lahore’s Faisal Chowk on Wednesday.
Motorists, dwellers and commuters faced traffic clogs due to road closure and detours in the wake of preparations which had started since Tuesday morning.
Despite not being given a formal permission by the district administration, PAT workers were busy in preparing arrangements for Wednesday’s protest and assembled a 20-feet-high and 80-feet-long stage for the leadership of attending parties. Organisers claimed that they had transported more than 30,000 chairs for the participants.
City traffic police had announced the closure of Mall Road at 12am, Wednesday, however, the road was closed for traffic a day earlier, leaving commuters helpless.
The PAT’s protest not only added to the problems of commuters of Mall Road but it badly affected the traffic on other roads of the city as well.
The traffic was diverted to other routes near Governor House, Ganga Ram Hospital, Anarkali while Hall Road, Beadon Road, Regal Chowk and other routes were closed to isolate Mall Road.
The closure of roads also caused a massive gridlock on Canal Road, Garhi Shahu, Railway Station, Lower Mall, Ferozepur Road and other roads in Gulberg area where long queues of vehicles piled up and choked major thoroughfares.
Police, on the other hand, ascribed the massive lockdown on Mall road that caused traffic to a foolproof security arrangement. A three-tier security arrangement, with at least 6,000 police personnel manning the venue, was made.
According to the police sources, police personnel deployed on the venue are unarmed while the Rangers would be on a standby in case of an emergency.
Moreover, city traffic police have also deputed more than 1200 traffic wardens in the areas surrounding the protest venue to keep the traffic flow smooth.
Traffic police had claimed to announce an alternate route but citizens remained unaware of the plan.