ISLAMABAD: Residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi faced major disruption on Friday as authorities placed containers, blocked key roads and suspended mobile data services to counter Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) planned march towards the capital.
According to a notification issued by the interior ministry, 3G/4G services have been suspended in both cities until further orders, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) directed to implement the order in coordination with local administrations.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) protested that road blockades had prevented lawyers from reaching courts, urging judges not to pass adverse orders in cases due to lawyers’ absence.
Meanwhile, Punjab imposed Section 144 across the province, banning public gatherings, processions, display of weapons and the use of loudspeakers beyond the call to prayer and sermons. The order will remain in place for 14 days, with officials citing credible intelligence of potential attacks on public gatherings and government installations.
In Lahore, schools were closed, while Punjab University postponed today’s LLB exams. Colleges and universities in the twin cities were also ordered shut. In Rawalpindi, Murree Road and adjoining arteries were sealed, with heavy police deployment near Faizabad, Chandni Chowk and Liaquat Bagh. The Metro Bus service was suspended, and business centres and hotels along Murree Road were directed to close.
Read More: Rawalpindi police tighten security ahead of TLP march
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry accused the TLP of trying to create “unrest and chaos” under the guise of a Gaza March. He said several individuals arrested in Punjab and Islamabad were carrying batons, chemicals, glass bottles and even tear gas shells, questioning whether such preparations reflected a peaceful protest.
Chaudhry added that the group’s actions were aimed at diverting attention from national security issues, recalling that TLP had staged a similar march during Indian aggression. He stressed Pakistan’s strong and consistent support for Palestine, but warned that attempts to incite violence would not be tolerated.
