Pakistan prepares to block bridges over the Chenab and Jhelum ahead of PTI march — Dawn

In Pakistan’s Gujrat district, local authorities have begun preparations for a possible closure of bridges over the Chenab and Jhelum rivers ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party’s march on Islamabad. Dozens of heavy vehicles have been parked near both bridges, while sandbags that could be used to block the road are also being filled.

Restrictions on freight transport

National Highways and Motorway Police officers are stopping heavy vehicles, primarily freight transport, at various locations across the district. At barricades on the Grand Trunk Road toward Islamabad, heavy vehicles are being stopped, while passenger cars, rickshaws and small trucks are still being allowed to cross the bridges.

Sources in the local administration and police said that trenches will probably not be dug near key bridges this time. This method of blocking was previously used to counter marches by the banned organization Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan. According to them, despite the preparatory measures, a full closure of the bridges may not be imposed until Thursday.

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Security measures and PTI mobilization

A senior law enforcement official told Dawn that the situation in the region is being monitored, and the decision on actually closing the bridges will depend on the movement and size of PTI convoys. He claimed that no police units had yet been deployed at the bridges or at other key locations.

Law enforcement sources believe that, due to strict restrictions and raids on the homes of leading PTI figures, convoys of the party’s supporters from the Lahore and Gujranwala regions have little chance of reaching Islamabad via the Grand Trunk Road. Local PTI representatives, for their part, said that only a few activists were detained during the raids, as most were in hiding to avoid arrest.

No noticeable mobilization was recorded in Gujrat, Sialkot, Wazirabad and Jhelum, despite Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s trip through these areas to recruit supporters for the march. PTI linked the low public activity to tightened security measures and the authorities’ tough policy toward the party, particularly in Punjab.