Attock Bridge, M-14, Hazara Motorway, and other key arteries cleared for traffic movement
PESHAWAR:
Following the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) orders to restore public highways for all types of traffic, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Police and the administration swiftly mobilised to launch a large-scale operation to open blocked roads across the province on Tuesday.
Several major routes, including Attock Bridge, M-14, Hazara Motorway and key roads in Dera Ismail Khan, were reopened, and protesters were dispersed as the roads were cleared.
The K-P inspector general of police (IG) issued immediate instructions to regional and district police officers to ensure the swift implementation of the court’s directives.
The IG emphasised that the high court had clearly stated that hindering the public’s right to movement was a violation of the Constitution. He directed all officers to comply with the court’s orders and restore traffic flow without delay, prioritising citizens’ ease of movement.
As part of the operation, barriers blocking the Attock Bridge on the GT Road, which connects Punjab and K-P, were removed, and traffic was restored. The roads connecting Dera Ismail Khan to Mianwali and Chashma were also cleared, along with the M-14 motorway from Dera Ismail Khan to Islamabad, including the CPEC York Toll Plaza.
Additionally, the Hazara Motorway, including the Havelian and Muslimabad interchanges, was cleared for traffic.
“The primary objective of the operation is to provide citizens with travel convenience, prevent disruption to business and daily activities, and assure the public that road blockages would not be tolerated,” the IG said. He highlighted that the right to movement, as guaranteed by the Constitution, would be fully protected, and no road blockages would be allowed in the future.
K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi seemingly expressed disapproval of the IG’s actions and said it showed he was taking direction from elsewhere.
“In my view, the honourable judiciary should inquire into the matter before issuing any orders. What do people want? Why are they sitting there?”
The PHC earlier issued a direct order to the IG and the chief secretary to immediately open the roads and submit a report to the court by the end of the day, while also taking action against those taking the law into their own hands.
The court expressed strong disapproval of the forced closure of the motorway and GT Road by PTI workers protesting over the health issues of party founder Imran Khan.
A written order, consisting of two pages, was issued by the court, and during the hearing, Justice Ijaz Anwar expressed anguish, saying, “The entire province is cut off from the country. What has the administration been doing? How many people have been charged so far? While the province is suffering from terrorism, the roads are blocked. Is it appropriate to protest under such circumstances? It’s unfortunate that the ruling party is protesting and causing distress to the people of the province.”
The hearing was conducted by a two-member PHC bench, comprising Justice Anwar and Justice Farah Jameela. Petitioners, including Subhiya Shahid, Yusuf Ali, and Shaoor Wardag, informed the court that PTI workers had closed the motorway and GT Road. Protesters had blocked the motorway at Anbar Interchange and GT Road near Attock Bridge for the past five days, causing severe inconvenience to the public and disrupting citizens’ movement.
The petitioners argued that the right to free movement is guaranteed under Article 15 of the Constitution. Despite the fact, local administration, the National Highways Authority, and other authorities had turned a blind eye to the road closures.
Justice Anwar asked the K-P advocate general to clarify how many individuals had faced legal action for blocking the roads. The advocate general asked for more time to compile the data.
However, Justice Anwar insisted that there was no need to provide details of past cases, stressing the urgency of the matter. “The roads are closed, and it’s been several days now. What has the provincial government done so far? How many casess have been registered against the protestors?” he asked.
Citizens suffer as PTI blocks roads
PTI workers and supporters had blocked major highways and motorways across K-P in protest against the alleged denial of access to jailed party founder Imran Khan, including meetings with his family, lawyers, sisters, and personal physicians.
The demonstrations had severely disrupted traffic, isolating the province from Punjab and other regions.
Long queues of vehicles were formed on the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway near the Sabzi Mandi Interchange, as well as on key routes such as the Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway, Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, and Kohat-Pindi Road.
Commuters, including women, children, and patients, are stranded for hours, facing acute hardships amid the blockades. Residents expressed widespread frustration and anger, with many questioning why the province’s people, who overwhelmingly voted for PTI, are bearing the brunt of the protests.
“People voted for PTI in this province, so why are ordinary citizens being punished like this?” one stranded traveler remarked. Critics argued that if protests were necessary, they should target Islamabad or other federal areas rather than disrupting provincial life.
