Azadi March: Entrance routes cordoned off with containers in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: The local authorities have cordoned off entrance routes of Rawalpindi city ahead of the arrival of Azadi March’s participants, ARY News reported Thursday.

Sources said that the Azadi March will be permitted to enter into the federal capital Islamabad from Rawat T-Chowk while Islamabad Expressway is closed near Faizabad Interchange after sealing it with containers.

Both tracks of the roads along Murree Road and Swan Bridge were also closed for traffic by the Rawalpindi administration and traffic police.

The closure of roads leading towards the Red Zone is seemingly made as precautionary measures in order to stop reach of the marchers to the sensitive areas.

Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah said that the federal government will not become a barrier in the organisation of the opposition’s Azadi March following the democratic norms.

Read: Govt not to stop Azadi March under democratic norms, says Ijaz Shah

While addressing a press conference along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, Ijaz Shah urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to respect court orders while holding its march.

“PM Imran Khan had decided that the government will not stop [opposition’s] march under the democratic norms. The permission closed all doors to the elements willing to create chaos in the country.”

“We are democratic people and believe in dialogues. For the first time in history, the federal government constituted a dialogues’ committee under the supervision of [defence minister] Pervez Khattak. The dialogue team and the opposition’s Rehbar Committee had made an agreement over five points where both sides made a decision over a venue to organise the protest march,” Shah said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Azadi March being led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is arriving in the federal capital today while the main gathering will be held on the decided venue, H-9 Metro Ground.