Islamabad shell shocked as Azadi March descends on the capital

Activists of Islamic political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) cordon off an area near a poster of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman (R) and jailed former Pakistan's prime minister Nawaz Sharif (L) before the start of anti-government "Azadi (Freedom) March" in Islamabad on November 1, 2019. (AFP)

• Government blocks key routes to sensitive installations placing shipping containers across the city
• Firebrand religious-politico leader rallies thousands to Islamabad adamant to topple the government

ISLAMABAD: People of the twin cities are bearing the brunt of the anti-government protest as the federation has placed Islamabad under a lockdown, partially blocking cellular services, forcing educational institutes and business to temporarily shut down as the Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), led Azadi March descends adamant to topple Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.
Taking preventive measures, the government has blocked key routes to sensitive government installations placing shipping containers across the city, increasing security, disrupting the lives of residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The march echoes the 2014 four-month long “Tsunami March” by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf against the then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government accusing Nawaz Sharif’s political party of syphoning public funds and mass corruption.
Arab News took to the streets of the peaceful serene capital turned into a container city — a name coined by Pakistanis to observe the difficulties faced by the common man and commuters. More in this video report.