Commuters returning home from work or heading to the city center on Wednesday night faced a prolonged traffic jam on Karachi’s MA Jinnah Highway, according to officials and citizens.
People were stuck in traffic jams for hours during the evening rush hour after police closed the main road of the MA Jinnah Highway near Numaish Chowrangi for security reasons.
The city traffic police had announced different diversions after the road closure, leading to traffic chaos, prompting Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to take notice.
Karachi Traffic Police (KTP) Deputy Inspector General Pir Mohammed Shah said Sunrise that all traffic agents were present on the roads.
He said a part of the MA Jinnah main road was closed to traffic, which had caused the traffic jam.
The city’s traffic police chief admitted that citizens are facing huge inconveniences due to traffic jams. He said roads near Numaish Chowrangi were closed to traffic for safety reasons and diversions were provided to citizens to ease the flow of traffic.
CM Shah directed Karachi Additional Inspector General of Police to restore traffic flow. “Traffic police must be activated immediately to restore traffic flow,” he said, requesting a situation report.
CM Shah warned officers that strict action would be taken if traffic flow was not restored.
“Wherever there is a traffic jam, action will be taken by the responsible officers,” he declared, ordering that timely action be taken for the convenience of the general public.
