Residents anticipate disruption in daily life during sit-in.

Byline: Tahir Niaz

ISLAMABAD -- After the Islamabad district administration has allowed the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to hold Azadi March at H-9 by the weekly Sunday Market with temporary stationing in the parking of the Metro Bus depot on October 31 (Thursday), disturbance in normal day-to-day life in Islamabad is imminent.

The memories of Faizabad sit-in by the workers of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in 2017 are still fresh in the minds of the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. With the main junction of the twin-cities having remained blocked for over a month, the residents had to suffer a lot when it came to commuting. The government was immensely under pressure due to closure of main arteries of the twin cities due to the sit-in at Faizabad interchange.

The situation will not be different this time even before the JUI-F marchers enter the city's limits. The venue is the H-9 Right-of-Way by the weekly Sunday Market on the edge of Kashmir Highway, the central transit point of the capital. Once choked, it will affect the offices, educational institutions, and normal day-to-day life in the capital. It is to mention here that the road also connects the capital, KPK with areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and a major supply line for those areas. Being venue of the Azadi March so close to the weekly Itwaar Bazaar, it will be difficult for the authorities to open the Bazaar on Friday (Nov 1) even if all goes according to the plan.

The residents are bracing for that is imminent, in an attempt to limit the adverse impact. They seem physically and mentally prepared for the event. They have planned their day-to-day schedule after skipping the days of October 30 and 31 and the Kashmir Highway from the plan, so that they do not get stuck and face any untoward situation. Tayyab Abbas, a government employee who works at the Planning Commission told this scribe that he uses Kashmir Highway to reach office daily, but for these two days; Wednesday and Thursday, he will opt for the Margalla Road to reach office. 'I will also try to remain at home after office hours to avoid any unnecessary problem,' he added.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has been issued No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to hold its Azadi March in the city on October 31. It is to mention here that the Administration issued the NOC even the police's Operation Division and Special Branch of the police intelligence wing...