ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Friday strongly condemned the prolonged and “unjustified containerisation” and lockdowns imposed over the past 10 days in the federal capital and Rawalpindi, calling the step irrational.
However, the party appreciated Pakistan’s mediatory efforts aimed at facilitating a negotiated settlement between the United States (US) and Iran. It was noted that industrial zones were closed, supply chains disrupted, transport suspended, construction activity halted, and thousands of daily-wage earners were left without income.
In a statement issued here, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that diplomacy is an ongoing process, and it is natural for US-Iran talks in Islamabad to take time.
However, he maintained that sealing large parts of the city with containers and suspending public transport for this purpose may not be a prudent approach. He contended that extensive restrictions imposed in the name of security can cause significant inconvenience to the public and reflect governance challenges. Security measures, he suggested, could instead be more targeted, focusing on sensitive areas rather than applying blanket restrictions, in order to minimise disruption to economic activity and allow routine life and business activity to continue more smoothly.
Waqas said that the Ministry of Finance and independent assessments showed that shutdowns of major urban centres during national disruptions result in an estimated economic loss of around Rs190 billion per day, with the 10-day cumulative impact reaching nearly Rs1,900 billion. He demanded the immediate lifting of all roadblocks and an end to the lockdown to restore normal economic activity, besides announcing a relief package to compensate daily-wage earners and small businesses for the financial losses incurred.
Meanwhile, the PTI spokesman expressed deep concern over the alarming figures of women’s abductions in Punjab, stating that these reports amount to a serious indictment of the provincial government’s governance, administrative failure, and disregard for public safety.
He said that, according to recent disclosures presented before the Lahore High Court, the situation reflects a grave breakdown of law and order. He noted that over the past five years, more than 105,000 women have reportedly been abducted, with over 70,000 cases registered in Lahore alone, highlighting the state’s inability to protect its most vulnerable citizens.
Waqas added that approximately 1,800 women remain untraced, which raises serious questions over the government’s claims regarding women’s safety. He also pointed to concerns over alleged extrajudicial incidents involving the CTD, terming them reflective of a broader pattern of misplaced policing priorities.
