GT Road traffic towards Islamabad halted for buses, trucks

GUJRAT: Authorities in the Gujranwala and Gujrat regions stopped public transport and goods vehicles from travelling towards Islamabad via GT Road on Monday, while private cars and jeeps were allowed to continue.

The restrictions affected transport coming from several districts in central Punjab, including Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Sialkot, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin and Jhelum. According to official sources, the blockade was imposed because of VVIP movement in Islamabad.

Across the route, a large number of freight vehicles, including heavy trucks carrying containers, were seen parked along the roadside on the national highway. Public transport vehicles such as buses, coasters and vans had been prevented from heading towards the federal capital since Sunday night.

Transport suspended from multiple districts

Most public transport vehicles remained stationed at general bus stands and other transport terminals after the restrictions were enforced. The curbs disrupted travel for passengers heading to Islamabad and Rawalpindi from different parts of Punjab.

Some buses and vans travelling from Lahore to Islamabad and Rawalpindi dropped passengers in Gujranwala city on Sunday night instead of completing the journey. Those passengers then arranged onward travel through cars and rickshaws, using joint or shared fares to reach nearby destinations.

The restrictions were visible at multiple points along GT Road, where officials were deployed to block movement of the affected vehicles. Personnel from the National Highways and Motorway Police, Punjab traffic police and local administration were present on the road.

Barricades placed along the route

Officials were seen placing barricades at different locations on GT Road, with intervals of around 10 to 20 kilometres. The measures effectively stopped buses, vans, coasters and goods transport from proceeding towards the federal capital through the highway corridor passing through the region.

While commercial and public transport was halted, private vehicles were not included in the restriction. As a result, cars and jeeps continued to move on the route even as larger passenger and freight vehicles remained stranded or parked.

The stoppage led to a buildup of transport vehicles across the Gujranwala and Gujrat belt, particularly along the national highway, where heavy vehicles remained lined up on the roadside. The restrictions had already begun overnight, leaving many transport operators and passengers to adjust their travel plans before Monday morning.

The road restrictions came amid heightened movement controls on routes leading to the federal capital, with transport operations towards Islamabad disrupted across a wide stretch of central Punjab.