RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: It was a day of roadblocks and detours in the capital on Wednesday as residents of the twin cities prepared for the arrival of two long marches on the eve of Independence Day.

According to sources within the government, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally will be allowed to enter the capital, while the Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) Inquilaab March may not be accorded the same courtesy. The provincial government, sources say, will not allow PAT workers to march into the capital until Dr Tahirul Qadri is brought to book over criminal charges.

The tentative decision to allow the Azadi March to enter Islamabad made life easier for most people in the twin cities as the security clampdown was eased. While those commuting from Rawalpindi to Islamabad and vice versa had to take extended detours, intra-city movement continued unfettered on Wednesday.

But law enforcement personnel remained on high alert all day as intelligence reports warned of possible terrorist infiltration under the guise of the demonstrators.

Most government and private offices remained closed on Wednesday and very low attendance was observed in places that did stay open.

“I have been asked to report to the office, but to get here I had to hitch a ride with three different persons,” said Ahsan Shah, an employee of the petroleum ministry.

Muhammad Riaz, an official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) told Dawn he was working on the Pakistan Flag Monument Park in Sector H-8, which will be inaugurated on Thursday.

“Public transport was available on Wednesday morning, so I came from Col Amanullah Road in Bhara Kahu, but there was no public transport by afternoon. So, I have no option but to take a lift and go to Bhara Kahu,” he said.

However, most multinational companies, non-government organisations and diplomatic missions had already declared Wednesday as a holiday.

An advisory issued by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), which is responsible for the protection of UN staff in the country, asked staffers to remain at home and refrain from unnecessary movement.

An Islamabad police official, Gul Khan, told Dawn that, as per instructions, only locals were allowed to enter the city, adding that during the last two days a large number of people were asked to go back.

Maroof Ahmed, a resident of Lahore who wanted to participate in the marriage of his friend’s daughter, managed to reach Islamabad but he was stopped at the Golra Mor by police officials. He was thought to be a Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) member, since he had a beard. But after negotiating with the police, he was allowed to enter the city.

Maroof was not the only person who was stopped and instructed by the police to go back. A number of people were stopped at different check posts and turned back.

Besides blocking the roads, the police also created problems for the motorists, who were forced to move towards the wrong side of the roads to find alternate routes.

On Wednesday, most of the roads between Islamabad and Rawalpindi were closed using containers. The GT Road was closed near Rawat, however, the Islamabad Expressway was open and the residents of Zone V had to access urban Islamabad through Faizabad.

In the city, some roads were closed in Sector I-8, I-9, I-10 and G-9. The road across police lines was also blocked. Although Margalla Road was open, the containers were still placed on the sides of the road near Red Zone and F-9 Park.

An official of Pakistan Secretariat said that the army announced in the morning that it will takeover the Red Zone after 3pm, so not a single vehicle was allowed to be parked in the parking areas of secretariat and nearby buildings.

The road opposite Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Nadra Head Office was squeezed down to only a few feet, as the containers had blocked it. This point, too, was closed later in the afternoon.

Apart from diverting and blocking the traffic, all mobile networks were unavailable from 7th Avenue to the Red Zone.

Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Ali Nekokara told Dawn that a few entry points of the federal capital have been closed for security reasons, but the citizens can travel between the twin cities without any difficulty.

“At the moment, Faizabad, CDA Chowk on IJP Road, the motorway and the road from Murree to Islamabad are open, so the residents can enter the city,” he said.

“If the police get instructions from the government to seal the whole city, no one will be allowed to enter. But under normal circumstances, one or two roads between Islamabad and Rawalpindi will remain open,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that he was quite confident that Islamabad Police would protect the democracy in the country.

“It is disappointing to see that some people are saying that if police comes in their way, they will brutally respond against them,” he said, adding that any such statement against the police was condemnable and irresponsible.

At the same time, the Punjab government continued its crackdown against PAT workers in Rawalpindi, though no arrests were made by the police on Wednesday as most PAT activists went into hiding ahead of the Inquilaab march.

Sources in the police said that a security plan for Independence Day had also been finalised and that personnel would be equipped with 7,400 rubber bullets and 120 shot guns. About 175 tear gas launchers and 4,735 tear gas shells have also been provided to police.

Nearly 311 containers have been placed at a total of 14 key points to block roads leading towards the capital.

Published in Dawn, Aug 14th, 2014