GUJRAT: Mufti Muneebur Rehman has said the sit-in at Wazirabad would continue till the release of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan chief Saad Rizvi and in case any further arrests of the proscribed party’s workers or leaders were made, the agreement with the government will stand cancelled.

“We do not need any certificate of patriotism from anyone as there is no one more patriotic than me,” the Mufti said in his speech at the sit-in at Wazirabad where he reached late on Sunday night. He added that further consultations among the clerics would continue on Monday.

He, however, asked the protesters to leave the main GT Road and shift their sit-in to a nearby park, but warned if the government appeared non-serious with regard to the agreement, it would have to face a more forceful protest movement.

After his speech the protesters finally vacated the main GT Road and shifted their sit-in to a Wazirabad park, but vowed to stay in the town till fulfillment of at least half of the commitments made by the government in an agreement with their leaders on Sunday.

Warns of agreement’s cancellation in case of more arrests

The main GT Road passing through Wazirabad has now been opened following the removal of barricades in the area and shifting of the sit-in to the park.

However, the situation at the bridges of Chenab and Jhelum rivers has not yet changed as barricades are still there, causing a great deal of inconvenience to the people of Gujranwala, Jhelum and Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) regions. A partial relief was granted to the pedestrians by the local authorities on Monday after which scores of people, including women and children, were seen crossing the toll plazas and Chenab and Jhelum bridges on foot.

The local transporters continued charging double and triple fares for Gujrat or Wazirabad cities, whereas the inter-city transport is being partially run on alternate routes.

The local businessmen have demanded the authorities to take measures to steer the country out of the situation prevailing for the last couple of weeks.

There are reports that people of Jhelum and Sara-i-Alamgir have been using boats to cross the river Jhelum because of the barricaded bridge.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2021

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