Islamabad police issue traffic plan for Pakistan Day

March 19, 2018

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PAKISTAN-UNREST-DEFENCE-PARADE — Pakistani military personnel stand beside short-range Surface to Surface Missile NASR during the Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2015. Pakistan held its first national day military parade for seven years, a display of pageantry aimed at showing the country has the upper hand in the fight against the Taliban. Mobile phone networks in the capital were disabled to thwart potential bomb attacks, some roads were closed to the public and much of the city was under heavy guard for the event. AFP PHOTO/ Aamir QURESHI (Photo credit should read AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images)

ISLAMABAD: A traffic management plan has been issued by the Islamabad Traffic Police ahead of the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 in the city.

Heavy traffic will be prohibited from entering the city from 12am-2pm from March 19 to March 23. Faizabad section of the Islamabad Expressway would be completely sealed between 2 pm-5 pm and the highway sections from Khanna Pul to Faizabad and Zero Point to Faizabad would follow the same rules. In addition, Murree Road from Rawal Dam Chowk to Faizabad will also be closed between 2pm- 5pm. An advisory release by the police suggested commuters to use alternative routes.

Incoming traffic to Islamabad airport is to be diverted from Khanna Pul towards Lehtrar Road and Park Road so they can get to Kashmir Highway through Rawal Dam Chowk. Likewise, traffic from Lahore via GT Road will have to use Rawat T-Chowk to reach Rawalpindi as the Islamabad highway would be bared.

9th Avenue, Murree Road and Rawal Road will be open for those going to the airport from Islamabad whilst those using motorway to travel to Muree via the Kashmir Highway would be allowed to pass. Islamabad’s airspace has also been closed between 8am- 12:40am and 2:30pm- 4pm, said a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson. The airspace timings are to be active until March 23 so the Pakistan Airforce (PAF) jets can rehearse for the parade.

The March 23 celebrations mark the passing of the Lahore Resolution that led to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia in 1947. The historic resolution, known as the Pakistan Resolution, was approved on March 23, 1940.