LAHORE: Lahore authorities have imposed a near-total lockdown ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) planned protest, with major roads and motorways blocked across the city.
Thousands of containers have been deployed to close off key entry and exit points, including the motorway at the Babu Sabu Interchange, disrupting traffic across the city and beyond.
The Babu Sabu Interchange, a crucial access point to Lahore, is heavily barricaded, with traffic diverted through alternative routes such as Thokar Niaz Baig.
The situation has left parts of the motorway severely congested, particularly the stretch from Niazi Adda to Babu Sabu Interchange, where a sea of containers has brought traffic to a standstill.
Road closures are also in effect at several key locations across Lahore.
Saggian Road is shut on both sides from Al-Saeed Chowk and Sheikhupura, while traffic from Imamia Colony and Barkat Colony heading into the city is blocked at Shahdara.
Begum Kot Chowk and the Eastern Bypass have been completely closed, further restricting access. The Lahore Ring Road, a vital artery for city traffic, is also off-limits for commuters.
Additionally, extra personnel have been deployed at all checkpoints across the city to ensure security and manage the situation.
Despite the extensive roadblocks, the City Traffic Officer (CTO) has stated that traffic within the city remains normal, with security personnel deployed at all checkpoints to manage the situation and ensure order.
Additional personnel have been stationed at sensitive areas to prevent any disruptions as tensions rise in the lead-up to the protest.
Meanwhile, the red zone was also closed and continuers were placed at D-Chowk. The Jinnah Avenue and Shahra-e-Dastoor roads were also blocked at multiple points.
Six Motorways Closed
Authorities have closed off several sections of Pakistan’s motorway network due to “maintenance” operations.
At least six sections of the motorway, including key routes linking Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot, have been shut since Friday night.
The closures, announced by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), are expected to add to the traffic chaos as the country braces for unrest.
The PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has called on its supporters to march toward Islamabad on Sunday, November 24, in a bid to demand the restoration of democracy, an independent judiciary, and the release of PTI workers arrested in the May 9 riot cases.
Earlier this week, Imran Khan said that the November 24 protest will neither be postponed nor suspended, and whoever does not come out on November 24 will be left out of the party, according to the senior leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
