The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and police to reopen within 24 hours all roads blocked by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists and supporters.
PTI workers have blocked entry and exit points to KP since Saturday, maintaining they will not allow them to be reopened until the federal government shifts incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan to hospital for treatment of his right eye. The situation has caused significant issues for commuters, with reports of several casualties among ailing individuals attempting to reach hospital in emergency situations.
A two-member bench comprising Justices Ijaz Anwar and Farah Jamshed heard a set of petitions filed by MPA Sobia Shahid, lawyer Tariq Afghan, Swabi resident Yousaf Ali and Shaoor Khan. During the hearing, the court summoned KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel. It then asked them to apprise the court on how long the roads had remained blocked.
“The roads have been shut for the past three days. Initially, 14 points were blocked, and now protests are underway at six points,” said the KP IG.
To this, Justice Anwar questioned if this constituted a violation of law, noting the blockade has prevented lawyers for six cases from reaching the PHC from Islamabad. “Such is the security situation in the province that even today, 14 have been martyred. These are the conditions, but despite this, there are protests and roads are closed,” he remarked, stressing that the law guaranteed citizens the right to freedom of movement. He questioned the IG on how many first information reports (FIR) were registered over the road blockades.
“The traffic situation in Peshawar is the worst in the entire country. In fact, there is no traffic system in this province,” he observed. “We are now trying to streamline this, and are initiating e-challans,” responded the police chief.
It is “unfortunate that the ruling party here is protesting [and] hurting the province’s people,” observed the judge, with the advocate general maintaining “no one would defend any wrong act.”
The IG sought two days for the police to “fix the situation”, but Justice Anwar declined this request, ordering the roads to be opened today. “Begin today, and do not let anyone block the roads,” he ordered. “The entire country is open, but Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is shut. This is against our own people,” he remarked. “The motorway should not be closed off under any circumstances,” he added, noting that people could not leave their houses due to the blocked routes. The hearing was then adjourned until Wednesday (Feb. 18).
Protesters have blocked the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway.
The blockade has effectively paralyzed entry and exit of citizens from KP, particularly traders whose containers have been stranded on the roads.