PHC orders reopening of KP roads blocked by PTI supporters

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police to ensure the reopening of roads blocked by PTI supporters and protesters in recent days.

The protesting PTI workers have blocked KP’s entry and exit points for the last four days, demanding that the federal government move incarcerated party founder Imran Khan from jail to a hospital for medical treatment.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar and including Justice Farah Jamshed took up the set of petitions filed by MPA Sobia Shahid, lawyer Tariq Afghan, Swabi resident Yousaf Ali, and Shaoor Khan.

Upon the bench summoning them, KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel appeared in court.

At the very start of the hearing, Justice Anwar asked how many days it had been since the roads were blocked.

“The roads have been shut for the past three days. Initially, 14 points were blocked, and now protests are underway at six points,” the KP IG responded.

Justice Anwar questioned whether the blocking of roads was not illegal, adding that lawyers of six cases could not reach PHC from Islamabad.

He said, “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.”

The judge pointed out that the laws provided that the citizens had the right to freedom of movement, but they were still “facing difficulties”. He asked how many first information reports (FIR) had been registered regarding 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,” Justice Anwar observed, to which IG Hameed strongly agreed.

“We are now trying to streamline this, and are initiating e-challans,” the police chief assured the court.

IG Hameed asked for two days for the police to “fix the situation”, but Justice Anwar refused the request and ordered that the roads be opened today.

“Begin today, and do not let anyone block the roads,” he emphasized. “The whole country is open, but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is shut. This is against our own people.”

“The motorway should not be closed off under any circumstances,” he said, adding that people could not leave their homes because of the blocked routes.

The protesters had blocked the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) at the Anbar Interchange of Swabi, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at the Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh, and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway.

“Reopen the roads and ensure the same,” Justice Anwar ordered, directing the KP IG and the chief secretary to submit their reports on the issue by tomorrow.

The bench then adjourned the hearing until Wednesday.