Islamabad - The capital city may witness a massive political activity in the days ahead as the Capital Development Authority has started removing barricades, containers and barbered wires from the D-Chowk in the Red Zone, sources said on Sunday.
The counts differ on what the authorities have in mind after CDA has been ordered to clear the area from all barricades and containers. Once the Parade Ground, the areas is quite opposite to the Parliament House.
The CDA officials said that the government has decided to set up ‘Azadi Park’ at the old Parade Ground in the Red Zone and that construction machinery has been mobilised towards the site. According to the sources, the government has decided to convert the greenbelt into Azadi Park after the city gets new parade ground near Shakarparian. CDA workers have been ordered to remove all the material and objects which were once placed there to halt movement of general public, especially the protestors towards the Parliament House and Constitution Avenue. Orders have been issued for the removal of containers and barricades permanently.
Furthermore, according to the CDA officials, a tender has also been floated for feasibility study for setting up the park in the area. The area had witnessed a 126-day sit-in by the opposition PTI against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections since then the area was a no go area for general public. D-Chowk has had been a preferred choice for the protesting political parties and the road leading to the parliament house remained closed for many years with an aim to hamper the rallies and public gatherings in the Red Zone. However, the government has now decided to clear the access and convert the green belt into a park. The CDA officials said that the government will spend millions of rupees from national exchequer on setting up this park where special ceremonies would be held.
On the other hand, sources in the government said that the PML-N is planning to hold a massive public rally at D-Chowk in the wake of Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification from SC. “Though public rallies are not allowed at D-Chowk but the government may hold a public rally at the site to mobilise masses against the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif in Panama case,” said the sources. They said the area is being cleared to pave the way for the rally to be held soon.