Chief Justice takes suo motu notice of traffic blockades for VVIP movement
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday took suo motu notice of the frequent blockade of roads for VVIP movement all over the country, ordering that the authorities concerned submit a report on the matter.
Blocking thoroughfares for the general public in order to let politicians, bureaucrats and other persons of influence pass through with ease is a go-to move of police officials across Pakistan — a practice viewed as the enabling of VIP culture and promoting class differences.
The discriminatory practice, however, may have finally reached a tipping points, with some now not afraid of flouting police's orders to stop at blockades, even if police claim the inconvenience lasts only for "a few minutes".
An instance of such defiance was observed on Friday, when angry commuters in Karachi forced traffic police to re-open the busy Shahrah-e-Quaideen, which had been blocked to accommodate VVIP movement.