Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf's (PTI) sit-in against drone strikes continued for the third day in Peshawar on Tuesday. The PTI and JI workers set-up permanent camps at Peshawar, Kohat, DI Khan, Nowshera, Khairabad and over key locations to monitor trucks passing through the city and prevent Nato containers from entering Peshawar.
During the PTI sit-in near Hayatabad Toll plaza, a stampede was occurred after allegedly open firing a worker, according to sources. However, the sources said no casualty was happened, while police and PTI administration immediately managed over the situation.
The police said unidentified armed men opened fire near the camp causing panic and escaped when the police arrived. Their identity is not clear as the camp administration denied they were PTI supporters while a Party official said they were Party activists but were fighting over a personal issue, the sources said.
The PTI sit-in against drone attacks has entered third day, as workers sent all day on Nato supply routes, which beginning since morning winds up in the evening after dusk for an overnight break. No goods carrier passed via these routes on night; therefore, PTI and JI workers ended sit-in at evening timing. Both, PTI and JI workers remained unanimous even on third day, as they would continue protest sit-in, till the Federal Government takes guarantee from US administration that no more missile attacks will be in Pakistan.
Supporters of PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami were present at the protest camp and checking identification documents to distinguish Nato trucks from regular cargo carriers. In their quest to distinguish Nato trucks from regular cargo carriers, workers had broken the seals of dozens of containers for the inspection of goods and had brawls with the drivers in the process. Coalition partners in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly decided to block Nato supply routes in protest against the US drone campaign in Pakistan. The unmanned offensive was earlier limited to the tribal areas but was recently extended to K-P's Hangu area.
In Nowshera, around 150 PTI activists led by K-P Assembly member Idrees Khan set up a protest camp near Khairabad Bridge where participants shouted anti-US and anti-Nato slogans. A number of PTI activists in Kohat also staged a sit-in at the Jarma Chowk on the Indus Highway to halt Nato supply trucks passing through the area. In Dera Ghazi Khan, MNA Jamshed Dasti also held a sit-in along with his supporters. Members of religious parties were present at the protest as well. Dasti said the routes will remain blocked until they are assured that there will be no more drone strikes.
According to the details, about nine trailers carrying containers were halted on the first day of the sit-in, while one on the second day. PTI activists after having checked their papers forced the drivers of these trailers from further proceeding to Torkham border and return to Peshawar.
Meanwhile, the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham has been reopened after three-day closure on late Monday evening. Security officials said following the November 21 suicide attack in the Torkham Customs House, security threats had intensified and as a result the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham was closed. Following the reopening of the border, all trade activities including Nato supplies, transit trade and movement of Pakistani and Afghan citizens at the border resumed.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police registered cases against 40 workers of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) for manhandling trucks going through Nato supply routes. PTI workers staged a sit-in on the Ring Road near Chamkani where they checked hundreds of container. It was pertinent to mention here that the call for a sit-in was earlier made by PTI Chief Imran Khan, after his ruling Party in K-P passed a unanimous resolution against drones and set November 20 as the date of a rally.