{
  "id": 12081582,
  "title": "Rawalpindi traders fear road closures as PTI’s long march looms",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/rawalpindi-traders-fear-road-closures-as-ptis-long-march-looms",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T05:07:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2034815/rawalpindi-traders-fear-road-closures-as-ptis-long-march-looms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Traders in Rawalpindi are apprehensive about potential road closures due to the impending long march by the opposition party, PTI. The failure of talks between the government and PTI has heightened concerns among residents, traders, and students regarding disruptions in the coming days. Universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are resorting to online classes to avoid possible road closures. Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi near Faizabad has opted for online classes for the upcoming week, while a senior official stated that vacating hostels would be their first choice in case of protests. Private schools on Murree Road and 6th Road are also worried about possible closures in case of protests, as they have not completed their syllabus due to previous school closures. District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Yaseen Khan Baloch explained that no notification had been issued for school closures, stating that classes for 9th and 10th grades continued at one school despite the closure last month. Traders have urged the government and opposition to resolve their political issues and create a conducive environment for businesses, highlighting the impact of road and bazaar closures on their operations. Rawalpindi Anjuman Tajraan President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha reported that shopkeepers have struggled to conduct business for a month due to road closures, and the impending PTI protest march from KP could further disrupt business and transportation. An official revealed that over 43,200 police personnel have been deployed for the PTI march, with 30,700 in Attock, 10,600 in Rawalpindi district, and 1,976 in Jhelum, Murree, and Chakwal. Five government schools, one private school, and a college in Taxila were vacated to accommodate the police force, while Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) provided 22 water tankers to Taxila for the police, but they have not returned, affecting the water supply system in the garrison city.",
  "summary": "RAWALPINDI: The failure of talks between the government and opposition PTI has raised fears of road closures in the garrison city, worrying residents, traders and students about possible disruptions in the coming days. Due to this, universities in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will continue their online classes amid fears of road closures in the coming week. Arid Agriculture…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn - Pakistan",
        "title": "Rawalpindi traders fear road closures as PTI’s long march looms",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/rawalpindi-traders-fear-road-closures-as-ptis-long-march-looms-12082501",
        "published": "2026-10-05T05:07:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "PTI begins long march towards Islamabad",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/pti-begins-long-march-towards-islamabad",
        "published": "2026-10-05T05:14:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}