A Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) protest in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), reportedly caused a traffic jam and delayed an ambulance carrying a sick child on Thursday.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. It reportedly shows the child’s mother crying and asking protesters to clear the way so her child could reach the hospital.
The incident has sparked criticism over protests that block roads and affect people who need urgent medical help.
The incident has also raised concerns about road-blocking protests in KP and the rest of the country, and their impact on daily life.
PTI protest on August 5
Previously, PTI had called for nationwide protests from August 5. However, the protests in Peshawar and Islamabad reportedly saw a limited response.
The planned protest sites remained mostly empty, with only a small number of people seen at the locations.
Traffic also continued normally in the areas where the protests were expected. No major traffic jams or disruptions were reported.
Peshawar remained open and active throughout the day. No major PTI leaders were seen at the protest sites or on the streets.
Videos shared on social media also showed PTI banners along roads leading to the protest sites being removed or torn down by local residents.
The PTI parliamentary party had earlier announced plans to hold protest rallies across the country from August 5.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan made the announcement at a press conference after a meeting of the party’s parliamentary group.
He said the meeting was held for a specific purpose. However, the country’s wider political situation was also discussed.
Before this, around 200 PTI protesters blocked the M-1 Motorway in Swabi by setting tyres on fire, causing severe disruption for thousands of commuters.
The demonstration led to long traffic jams. It left motorists stranded for several hours, and they expressed frustration over the chaos.