The capital police Friday resorted to baton-charge and teargas shelling to disperse the protesters who were staging a demonstration against gas outages and had blocked the Islamabad Expressway for over four hours. They also set on fire two police armored personnel carriers (APCs).
The gas supply in all different localities of twin cities decreased causing problems for the residents who are holding protests almost daily and blocking major roads including Kurri Road and Islamabad Expressway. On Friday, hundreds of angry residents including women and children, young and old, took part in the protest. The protesters were holding placards and banners inscribed with “restore the gas immediately”. They were also chanting slogans against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL). Heavy contingents of police were deployed to tackle the crowd and the policemen on duty resorted to baton-charge and tear-gas shelling when the protesters refused to end the Islamabad Expressway blockade and instead set two police APC on fire. The protestors burnt tires and used stones and sticks to confront policemen and block the traffic. Hence hundreds of vehicles remained stuck on both sides of the busiest artery between the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
