The twin cities-Islamabad and Rawalpindi- Thursday remained under siege on the filing of nomination papers for sixth presidential election, halting all kinds of activities.
The worst-ever blockade on almost all the highways leading to the capital was designed to keep away the legal fraternity and opposition political parties activists from the Election Commission of Pakistan. Thousands of riot police and security personnel were deployed on all the entry points of the twin cities to ward off any untoward incident.
The government and private workers, who live in Rawalpindi and in the suburbs of the capital, could not reach their offices owing to unprecedented security arrangements and blockade of roads apparently aimed at preventing anti-Musharraf protests outside the Election Commission and the Supreme Court.
There was a strong possibility that the apex court that has been hearing a petition against President Musharraf holding dual offices might give its verdict on the day as well. The authorities had blocked all the highways by placing huge containers and erecting barbed wires since Wednesday midnight.
"I was coming from Gilgit I had to wait in Taxila for more than eight long hours only because all the highways were blocked and there was no possibility that I could attend my office today," Muhammad Ali, working in a private office told this correspondent.
"There were families held up there (Taxila) for the last 12 hours. This is unjustified that our rulers are so cruel and have no respect for human beings," he said angrily. The situation was so pathetic that senior officials of the Election Commission were also barred from attending their office.
Some of them were seen waiting in a queue outside the office and pleading security officials that they have to attend the office when General Musharraf and others filed nomination papers for upcoming presidential polls.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz along with top government functionaries reached the Election Commission in the morning for filing President Musharraf's nomination papers. A large number of Rangers' personnel had cordoned off the Constitution Avenue for all kinds of traffic and entry of common people was strictly banned.
Besides heavy contingent of Punjab police, security officials in plain clothes remained hovering around the Constitution Avenue to deal with the demonstrations by All Parties Democratic Movement. Media persons also went through great difficulties in performing their duties due to unprecedented security measures taken by the law enforcement authorities.
However, the government claimed that the security measures were taken to meet any unfortunate incident keeping in view the threats of suicide bombing in the twin cities and statements of opposition leaders to besiege the Supreme Court or the Election Commission.
Residents of the twin cities have unleashed scathing criticism on Musharraf-led government for creating immense difficulties for their free movement in the capital. They demanded that everybody should have the right to protest to express emotions against the rulers.
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