LAHORE:Like other parts of the country where the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held its demonstrations, Lahore was too facing heavy roadblocks, with motorists, and even the pedestrians found no way to reach their desired destinations after surpassing these hurdles, easily, leaving them with no option except venting their outrage with a stock of criticism against those who are responsible for this chaotic situation.
Punjab police and other law-enforcement agencies sealed the whole city with barricades and containers, sending the Lahorites in a blind alley.
People stranded on roads were a common sight. Those who left homes early morning did not reach homes due to roadblocks. There was chaos everywhere. They seemed rebuking those who do politics at the cost of their sufferings.
“This is not fair. The government is not carrying for us. Why they are barricading every road.
“I left my home at 9am, and now it is 6pm, I could not reach home. If I had prior knowledge about the PTI’s rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, I would have not left my house, decried an old woman, who came to Lahore from Sheikhupura along with her daughter to visit Mayo Hospital, while talking to Dunya News near a container placed at Haji Camp.
PTI has given a call for protests for ‘independent’ judiciary, price hike and the release of its founder, claiming it is their constitutional right to protest for their demands; but on the other hand, the government is of the view that the party does not hold peaceful protests as other political parties do, so such party could not be allowed to create violence in the name of politics.
“How long will we put up with this nasty situation? Please stop it. Let the country progress. What a message we want to give the world ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Pakistan.
“I don’t think this is an appropriate time to hold protests and rallies. Business is quite slow. No money even to pay inflated utility bills.
“Politics of barricades has added pains to my financial woes, said a cloth merchant during his conversion with Dunya News.
“The government should understand the tactics of the PTI. The party leaders are testing the patience of law enforcers. They are waiting when police are tired of confronting with the PTI workers.
“So, to my opinion, the government should let them hold rallies and protests. Actually, roadblocks disrepute the government not the protesters, said a stranded university student, who was unable to find way from blockades to reach home.
“Why they always hold protests in Islamabad and Lahore. Why they don’t go to Balochistan, KP and Sindh.
“If PTI thinks it is a party of the entire country, it should go there for its protests. I think they fear that they would not get public support Balochistan, Singh and Karachi,” said a citizen while talking to Dunya News.
