Intercity transport suspended in Lahore, bus terminals reportedly sealed

Intercity bus services operating from Lahore to various destinations nationwide were halted on Sunday due to the city's administration sealing all general bus terminals late on Saturday night, leaving passengers stranded and disrupting travel plans. The closures impacted commuters heading to Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, southern Punjab, and other regions within central Punjab.

Passengers expressed difficulties as their tickets were canceled, and travel services were suspended. Major private bus operators, such as Faisal Movers and Daewoo, also halted their services following reports of restrictions on public transport movement on motorways and national highways. However, Imran Shah, a spokesperson for motorway police, stated that motorways and highways remained open to traffic and denied any directives to suspend bus services.

Another unnamed official suggested that the suspension of bus services was due to a protest call issued by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Punjab Transport Department Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch could not be reached for comment, despite multiple attempts to contact him via his mobile phone. This situation emerged as the PTI commenced its march on October 4, demanding Imran Khan's release, despite warnings from the Center.

So far, the march has remained confined to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI holds power. Earlier in the week, containers were sent to Swabi Interchange, where the PTI had called for its supporters to assemble, as well as the Indus River bridge on the M-1 Motorway to obstruct the party's march. However, the motorway and the Grand Trunk Road remained accessible to traffic.