Twin protests demanding the Pakistani government step down have wreaked havoc in the capital, where commuters must circumvent shipping containers and barbed wire to get to work, protesters knock on people’s doors to use the bathroom and garbage is piling up.
“People are talking of revolution, but [they] don’t care about the difficulties we are facing due to this situation,” said Zafar Habib, a 56-year-old government employee in Islamabad.
Tens of thousands of people have descended on the capital in recent days, answering the call from cricket-star-turned-politician Imran Khan and anti-government cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri to push for the government’s ouster. Both claim widespread fraud in the vote in May last year and want new elections, something the government of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is not likely to concede.
Photo: EPA
Khan and Qadri have vowed to remain in the streets with their supporters until Sharif leaves office, raising fears of political instability.
The protests have taken a strain on the city of 1.7 million, many of whom work for the government, embassies or non-governmental organizations. The difficulties began on Wednesday last week, when the government started to beef up security, and show no signs of letting up in the next few days.
The most affected neighborhoods have been in the eastern part of the city where the protests have been centered, not too far from the so-called “Red Zone” and a diplomatic enclave that houses government offices, embassies and other sensitive installations.
Residents say protesters — mostly women — knock on their doors early in the morning, hoping to use their bathrooms.
“This is frustrating,” real-estate agent Sajid Khan said. “I and other residents were trying to accommodate the women, but then today some men also knocked on my door.”
Male protesters have also been crowding the washrooms in local mosques or simply going into the nearby forests. Garbage is beginning to pile up as well.
“My main concern is the deteriorating hygienic condition. This will make us and our children ill,” retired civil service worker Jahangir Zahid said.
Residents and people trying to get to work have also been stymied by the protesters and the security measures the government has taken to deal with them. Early last week the government started putting up shipping containers to control access to and from the city. The hundreds of vehicles brought by protesters have also clogged the roads.
While the crowds have fallen well short of the million marchers that Khan and Qadri promised, their presence and the heightened security measures have virtually shut down business in the capital. The rallies have nevertheless remained festive, with families picnicking and men and women dancing to drums and national songs.
Police estimate the crowds in both sit-ins have gradually dwindled since they arrived in the capital late on Friday. Both rallies began as caravans of vehicles setting out from the eastern city of Lahore.
According to police, there are currently about 25,000 to 30,000 people in both demonstrations. The two rallies are centered along parallel streets, each with its own stage for speakers, but the crowds overlap and mingle at various times, especially when the leaders or key figures address the gatherings.
Business owners say many of their suppliers are not able to reach their shops. Shaukat Ali, who owns a meat shop, said on Sunday that his supplier has not been able to come so all he had was a crate of chickens to sell.
Bicycle store owner Adeel Zafar said his shop has been closed for a week because of the protests.
“Why we are being punished?” he asked.
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