LAHORE The City observed the worst gridlock here on Saturday as the commuters were stuck on The Mall and other top arteries due to a 'Silent Shiite Procession near Nasir Bagh. Over three Edhi ambulances and one other Police Ambulance were trapped into the traffic mess for more than four hours as the procession emerged two times in a day. The travelers engaged in quarrels with the wardens of City Traffic Police and personnel of District Police over unannounced police pickets/barricades established on various entry points on roads. An FM RJ, Afzal Sahir, told this scribe he drove his car from IG Office at about 1:58 pm and approached the office of the Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Ahmed Mobin at about 3:55 pm. The total distance hardly comprised on half kilometer, he added. According to him, he was on his way to get traffic license for which he has applied from the last few days but due to worst traffic mess witnessed on Saturday. A traffic warden, deployed at University Chowk near National College of Arts, claimed necessary diversions were already established and the entire traffic was being shifted on services roads. He said a comprehensive plan of out-ways and diversions is implemented whenever such traffic jam occurred in the City. The CTO Syed Ahmed Mobin, however, said the chief reason behind such traffic jams was protest demonstrations and processions. He said, The entire City is jammed when The Mall is blocked due to any reason. He said that a Shiite procession took place near Nasir Bagh so the traffic was blocked for the protection of the participants. No doubt, the citizens and commuters have to face hurdles and problems owing to these processions and demos but the situation prevailing across the country demands the citizens to cooperate with traffic police personnel, he added. He, however, directed the traffic wardens to ensure smooth flow of traffic and extend their cooperation in facilitating the commuters.