Thousands of workers of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) continued their sit-in in Wazirabad for a second day on Saturday as they waited for instructions from their leaders to move ahead.
The workers, who reached Wazirabad from Gujranwala on Friday, spent the night at the Zafar Ali Khan Bypass.
Meanwhile, traffic and internet services remained suspended in the city while businesses also remained closed.
A senior official earlier told Dawn that the next TLP-police encounter was expected at two major security points that had been established at Chenab and Jhelum rivers, the only route for the march to reach Islamabad.
On Friday, hundreds of Rangers and police personnel were deployed at the Chenab toll plaza to counter the marchers.
The security personnel also have armoured vehicles with them and are equipped with riot gear, according to police sources.
About 500 metres from the Chenab toll plaza, the Punjab Rangers marked a 'red line', and put up a notice nearby warning the protesters not to breach the line or face consequences.
Train operations affected
In view of the situation caused due to the TLP rally, Pakistan Railways announced that two trains between Karachi and Rawalpindi — Tezgam Express and Pakistan Express — would remain suspended today (Saturday) for both inbound and outbound services.
About 500 metres from the Chenab toll plaza, the Punjab Rangers marked a 'red line', and put up a notice nearby warning the protesters not to breach the line or face consequences.
Train operations affected
In view of the situation caused due to the TLP rally, Pakistan Railways announced that two trains between Karachi and Rawalpindi — Tezgam Express and Pakistan Express — would remain suspended today (Saturday) for both inbound and outbound services.
In addition, several other trains that were scheduled to travel through Lahore would also remain suspended. These include Jaffar Express between Peshawar and Quetta, Khyber Mail between Peshawar and Karachi and Green Line between Lahore and Rawalpindi.
All other trains would function according to their schedule and route, a PR spokesperson said.
12-member committee set up for talks with TLP
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with a delegation of religious scholars, including Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, to discuss the ongoing situation.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Qadri said a 12-member committee had been formed for negotiations with the TLP on ending the proscribed group's march on Islamabad.
They (the committee's members) are in touch with the government and had been in contact with the TLP leadership as well," he said, expressing the hope that negotiations between the two sides would lead to positive results.
He said PM Imran had told the delegation that the government always welcomed "purposeful" discussion and that their suggestions for preventing further confrontation and violence would be given regard.
To a question about the negotiations, another member of the delegation said "going into details might disrupt the talks."
He added that they were expecting "positive" results from the talks.
In reply to another question about making negotiations conditional to TLP protesters not moving towards Islamabad, he said "it could sabotage the negotiations."
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