MULTAN , April 2: The religious alliance’s call resulted in —- thin traffic on most of the intercity roads, almost normal movement on urban routes under security cover and partial/poor shutterdown — across the Punjab on Saturday.
Police reacted swiftly to thwart any move by the alliance to block any road or hold public meetings,. Nazims, ruling party members and ministers commanding influence in their areas were seen active in making the shopkeepers open their shops in most of the town.
Main markets in Multan city remained opened throughout the day. However, the markets situated near Pul Shawala and in New Multan were closed. The vehicular traffic was thin. Multan police reportedly arrested about 20 MMA leaders and activists.
Reports from Layyah said MMA’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Asghar Ali Gujjar was leading a protest at the Chowk Azam. The protesters had reportedly blocked the inter-provincial highway after placing hurdles. When a police contingent tried to lift the blockade, the protesters allegedly attacked the law enforcers and tore down DSP’s uniform. They reportedly gave a sound thrashing to a number of other police officials.Upon this, the district police authorities sent reinforcement to the troubled spot with DSP Chaudhry Akram leading it. The law enforcers allegedly opened fire to disperse the protesters.
Layyah DPO Mian Maqbool however denied that his force had fired first. “The police just retaliated when some of the protesters opened fire,” he added. However, none of the 10 injured policemen was hit by the bullet.
The firing rendered Malik, Haji Ameen, Shadeed Ali and Asif Ali injured. Of them, Malik was shifted to the Nishter Hospital for being critically injured.
FAISALABAD: MMA workers burnt a passenger bus and smashed two others besides thrashing crew of other vehicles.
Police teams rounded up 40 activists, including the entire local leadership of the MMA. Arrests were also reported from Samundri, Jaranwala, Tandlianwala, Chak Jhumra and Saddar areas.
Meanwhile, a partial shutterdown was observed in the city and its adjoining areas. Traffic was normal on urban routes.
GUJRANWALA: Most of the markets in the city remained closed whereas the urban transport movement was normal. Police raided the JI offices in Satellite Town and arrested four MMA workers for blocking the GT road.
SIALKOT: Twenty MMA leaders and workers were arrested when the alliance tried to hold a rally at Allama Iqbal Chowk. The strike call meanwhile drew poor response as major markets were open.
SARGODHA: The shutterdown was almost complete but the traffic flow was nearly normal. Traders including office-bearers of ruling party who had assured the district government that they would not join the strike also kept their shutters down.
OKARA: Police arrested 10 MMA activists. The shutterdown was partial while traffic near normal. The arrested include district JI amir Sh Azhar Mehmood and district general secretary Shahzad Anjum Ansari.
BAHAWALPUR: Shops and markets in thickly-populated bazaars remained closed in the morning with very thin vehicular movement.
There were identical reports from other town of the Punjab. In Hafizabad the response was poor, it Mandi Bahauddin the shutterdown was complete and wheel jam partial, in Sahiwal, Vehari and Jhang the response was poor, partial in Sheikhupura, Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Tek Singh, Rahim Yar Khan and Narowal.
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