Pindi Sealed

The mock agitation by Benazir’s People Party is where embarrassing her and the government all over the place, its also creating huge problems for the citizens of Pakistan, and that was severely experienced by the citizens of Rawalpindi yesterday.

Benazir had announced a public meeting on 10th November in Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi and despite of Pindi District Government’s refusal, Benazir decided to go otherwise, because it enabled her to gain more and more points to get legitimacy as the genuine opposition leader in Pakistan, while flourishing her deal with General Musharraf.

On the day of the proposed PPPP’s public meeting, the Rawalpindi was completely sealed and even a bird couldn’t enter in the city on wheels. All the paths leading to Liaqat Bagh were thoroughly sealed and it was closed with containers, trucks, barricades and barriers, and lots and lots of Police were present there. Administration had called for Police from 14 cities of Punjab. Security forces of all kinds were present there including elite force, commandoes, horse-police, and some other plain clothes.

Nobody was allowed even near the Liaqat Bagh ground even on foot. Even women and children weren’t allowed. Perhaps Police feared that Benazir would alone come in disguise, but that means that they don’t know her. She would rather prefer her workers get the beating (which they as a matter of fact did get), and she gathers the points and reaches to the Kursi.

There was a curfew like situation in Rawalpindi. Police was torturing anyone who dared to come on roads. Common citizens were attacked by Police. Traffic remained jam on the internal roads of Rawalpindi. All the small roads leading to big roads remained were closed and vehicles got entangled with each other. People tried to call Rescue 15 or newspapers, but telephone service were also were rickety.

Will elections also happen in these circumstances with Police sealing the cities, beating everyone coming outside and people living in fear and tension? Is this the way to keep the people away from voting, so that compromised results could be obtained?