ISLAMABAD   -  An unprecedented traffic jam in front of Taxilla Museum on Sunday marred tourists’ movement in total violation of Prime Minister’s policy to promote tourism in the country.

It was such a lengthy traffic jam that local/foreign tourists using Taxilla by-pass to travel to and from Haripur via Khanpur, a cultural picturesque town which attracts local tourists on weekly holidays Saturday and Sunday, was severely hit by the unprecedented traffic jam.

It was such an ugliest traffic jam that people had no option but to protest and there was no adequate traffic police to regulate the vehicular traffic. Apart from visiting tourists, women and children were amongst the worst hit in the traffic jam. They were running from pillar to post in search of drinking water and to find trees to take shelter.    

After an hour it was emerged that vehicular traffic was jammed because of heavy dumpers which were suddenly allowed to lift crushed stone from Khanpur hills for the Naya Pakistan Housing project.

According to eye witnesses, it was the worst traffic jam ever on this road. They demanded an inquiry from the Prime Minister so that such a bad incident did not occur again. “At least the authorities would have taken appropriate steps on Saturday and Sunday when this road sees heavy vehicular traffic largely because of the tourists,” said an eyewitness Sagheer Ahmed.  

“This is total violation of the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s policy for promotion of tourism,” added Sagheer Ahmed who travelled along with his family to Khanpur Dam for a day trip.

According to Ahmed, this was an unprecedented traffic jam of his life where there was no coordination between traffic police of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Another eyewitness blamed local traders for the traffic jam saying they had blocked the road near Taxilla Museum to draw attention of the authorities concerned.