The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has chalked out a comprehensive plan to clean the sit-in venue after an end of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)'s sit-in in Islamabad. "The CDA sanitation, environment, roads, water supply and other relevant directorates have dispatched their staff to the sit-in venue but would launch a major operation after the PAT management removes all the tents and vacates the area", said Director Sanitation Sardar Khan while talking to Business Recorder.
He said the CDA sanitation teams have cleansed the area in front of Parliament House and Parliament lodges which was earlier vacated by the participants of the sit-in. The workers of water supply and sewerage directorate have begun repairing water supply and sewerage lines, which were disrupted by the participants of the sit-in, he said. Sardar Khan said that hundreds of sanitary workers will carry out major cleanliness campaign in a day or two with heavy machinery.
An official of CDA's environment wing said that protesters erected tents on the greenbelts damaging grass and plants. CDA will plant new saplings to restore the beauty of the area and it will take a few months, he said. Following the directives of PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, the activists of PAT on Wednesday remained busy in removing tents and collecting other belongings including sign boards from the sit-in venue. A large number of participants were witnessed leaving the venue carrying their luggage. The PAT management has arranged vehicles as well as fares to those participants unable to bear transportation expenditure.
Khurram Nawaz Gandapur Secretary General PAT said that his party workers began packing and removing tents since Tuesday night and the process would be completed within the next two or three days. "The PAT had installed around 400 tents at the venue and workers had removed all including Tahirul Qadri's container by late evening Wednesday," he said.
He said that the PAT management is paying fares to workers after proper verification of their destination. "The management will be there till the last person leaves the venue", he said.
Gandapur admitted that some people approached the management and claimed transport money but after verification it was determined that they did not participate in the sit-in. A number of people leaving the sit-in venue while talking to Business Recorder expressed their satisfaction at the arrangements made by the PAT management for their departure.
Zafer Iqbal, a resident of Faisabad said that he has not taken fare from the management as he has enough resources to pay his traveling expenditure. Another participant namely Mohammad Ramazan, who was leaving for D I Khan, said that he has received Rs 1,000 from the management as travel expenditure and for one meal. On Tuesday, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri called off his sit-in saying it was time to take the demonstrations countrywide.