Punjab to Block Chenab.Jhelum Bridges Ahead of PTI March

News Desk
GUJRAT: Local administrative authorities have initiated comprehensive arrangements to block crucial bridges on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers within the Gujrat district limits to counter the upcoming Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) long march toward Islamabad.
Scores of heavy transport vehicles have been mobilized near both river crossings, while the National Highways and Motorways Police (NH&MP) have stepped up enforcement by intercepting goods transport vehicles across various district locations.
According to field reports, law enforcement strategies involve positioning heavy machinery alongside sand-filled sacks near the bridge approaches to construct formidable blockades.
However, senior administrative and police sources indicated that authorities have opted against excavating physical trenches near the bridges this time, a heavy-handed tactic previously deployed to contain protests staged by the banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
Law enforcement agencies have privately noted that there remain relatively thin chances of the opposition party mounting a highly organized and formidable march along the historic Grand Trunk (GT) Road given the pre-emptive containment measures.
The heavy-handed logistical preparations reflect ongoing political tensions and underline the state’s determination to restrict mobility toward the federal capital.
Civil society and commercial transporters, however, have expressed mounting concern over the recurring closures of major trade arteries.
Disruptions along the GT Road traditionally choke vital supply chains connecting Punjab with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, inflicting significant financial losses on commercial enterprises, commuters, and daily wage earners who rely on uninterrupted inter-city transit.
As the political standoff intensifies, law enforcement agencies are continuing intelligence-based raids targeting residences of prominent PTI leaders across the province to preemptively break local mobilization networks.
Local administrations are slated to review security contingencies in light of intelligence inputs, with authorities expected to finalize tiered containment protocols and deploy additional anti-riot contingents along major highways ahead of the formal commencement of the march.