SIALKOT/AHMEDPUR EAST/
GUJRANWALA/MUZAFFARGARH/
LALAMUSA
The commuters and motorists suffered great deal of ordeal due to unavailability of petrol as most of the filling stations in Sialkot Cantt, City, Daska, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur, Badiana, Chawinda and surrounding areas remained closed for second consecutive day while some filling stations sold petrol in short on exorbitant prices.
Petroleum Filling Stations Association Sialkot President Ch Muhammad Safdar said that most of the filling stations in the district had been lying closed for the past two due to suspension of supply of petrol and diesel in the backdrop of the prevailing political unrest in the country.
Meanwhile, the petrol dealers, taking advantage of this critical situation continued selling petrol in open on very high rates in their make-shift shops in Sialkot City, Daska, Sambrial, Uggoki, Pasrur, Badiana, Chawinda and surrounding areas as rush of the petrol-seeking commuters was witnessed at their make-shift shops there.
On the other the police kept traffic blocked for the second consecutive day between Sialkot and Narowal district by placing containers on River Chenab Bridge near Head Marala- and at the bridge over Marala-Ravi-Link (MR Link) Canal near Sahowala-Sambrial.
Police kept the traffic suspended in Sialkot and Gujranwala districts by placing containers on main Sialkot-Daska-Gujranwala Road on bridge of Bambaanwala-Ravi-Baidian (BRB Canal) at Daska and near Othiyaan police check post.
Police also blocked roads and kept traffic suspended between Sialkot and Narowal districts by placing containers near Pasrur, Chawinda, Zafarwal and surrounding areas here on Sunday.
The entire Sialkot region remained cut off and all the entry and exit points were blocked through containers to restrain the PAT workers from proceeding to Lahore to participate in the party’s anti-government protest. The police also arrested 23 PAT activists in district.
Sialkot based PTI’s Central Deputy Secretary Umer Dar told the newsmen that the police continued raids on the houses and offices of the PTI activists in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils for their arrest. He said that majority the PTI workers had gone undergone to avert their possible arrests in a bid to reach Islamabad to participate in the PTI’s Azadi Long March against the government on August 14, 2014.
Meanwhile, the Civil Lines Police arrested accused Irfan Ullah (a storekeeper of Sialkot District Jail), who illegally gave shelter to his brother Sana Ullah in Sialkot District Jail. Accused Sana Ullah was a leader of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Sambrial tehsil. He took illegal shelter at Sialkot jail through his brother Irfan’s help in a bid to avert his possible arrest. Irfan is storekeeper at Sialkot District Jail here.
In Ahmedpur East, activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf headed by District Vice President Munir Malik and Tehsil President Abdul Basit Shikrani left for Lahore to join PTI Azadi March. PTI District VP Munir Malik informed newsmen that the PTI leadership had directed party workers to arrive Lahore on August 11. Meanwhile local PTI leaders Munir Malik, Abdul Basit Shikrani, Iqbal Danish, Sajid Siraj Jalwana and others criticized the Punjab government for blocking national highway on different places in South Punjab which has caused hardships for local PTI leadership to mobilize activists. They expressed their full confidence in the leadership of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and claimed that the days of PML-N government were numbered. They said that Azadi march will change the destiny of the masses.
In Muzaffargarh, hundreds of PAT activists including women observed the ‘martyrs day’ and held sit-in at Chowk Qanwan here on Sunday after their failure to reach Lahore due to restrictions put in place by the government. Transporters have grounded and garaged their vehicles. However the district administration got restored supply of petrol and high speed diesel in the city. A spokesman for PAT told that Dr Tahirul Qadri had asked them to observe the martyrs day in their cities. “Seeing police brutality, Dr Qadri asked the party workers to stay in their towns and observe the day and hold sit-ins there.” However, those who manage to make it to Lahore can take their chances,” he said. He refuted the claim of the Punjab Law Minister that no PAT worker had killed. He claimed that a worker Abdul Hameed of Bhakkar breathed his last in Nishtar Hospital Multan who was brought their with gunshot wounds. “This is worst kind of atrocity the rulers are committing against innocent people,” he regretted. Heavy police contingent was deployed at the site of sit-in however no untoward incident was occurred.
Meanwhile, the Kamonke Police have registered two FIRs against PAT leader Dr Tahirul Qadri and other office bearers and supporters under Anti-Terrorism Act for attacking and injuring 16 police officers and officials. On written applications of DSP CIA Rashid Sandhu and Kamoke Police SHO Sarfraz Ranjha, the Saddr Police have registered two FIRs against four nominate persons including PAT Dr Tahirul Qadri, District Ameer Malik Farooq, Naib Ameer Asad Gondal, Vice President Saif Ullah and over three hundreds activists. The applicants raised allegations of terrorism, police shootout, hijacking of official vehicle along with police officials.
In Lalamusa, PML-N MPA Haji Imran Zafar and former MPA Haji Nasar Mehmood addressed a joint press conference and condemned the “Jalow Gahrao”, ruthless violence against law enforcing agency by the PAT armed activists, saying that the ruthless violence by the PAT workers and activists on the behest of Allama Tahir Qadri had exposed the real face of the so-called revolution. They maintained that in response to the Punjab government’s tolerance, the PAT activist acted contrary and injured several policemen and killing two cops who were performing their professional duty to maintain law and order. The PML-N leaders stated that if the government had not taken preventive measures, armed groups of the PAT worker would have tyrannized the province. They said that a man (Allama Tahirul Qadri) who did not believe in the Constitution of Pakistan, legitimate government, then question arises why he had come to Pakistan, this indicates that he had some hidden agenda to destabilize the country.
They also alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had also some mysterious agenda. “Imran is politically immature that’s why instead of sitting on dialogue table, he has restored to create chaos and uncertainty in country,” they charged.