All areas in twin cities reopen as routine life resumes

RAWALPINDI: All localities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad were reopened by Monday afternoon, bringing relief to residents, particularly those living and working in residential and commercial neighbourhoods near Nur Khan Airbase.

With access restored across the twin cities, normal activity began returning to the garrison city. Traffic was back on the roads, while fresh stocks of goods reached key commercial markets, helping business activity move towards normalcy.

Public transport services also resumed in part. Electric buses were operating on their assigned routes. However, the metro bus service had not yet been fully restored and remained restricted to the Shaheed-i-Millat stop from Saddar.

Punjab Masstransit Authority Rawalpindi-Islamabad Operation Manager Wajid Saleem said the service was currently not passing through the Red Zone. "At present, we have skipped Red Zone and the buses were plying from Saddar to the Shaheed-i-Millat stop. But if the district administration gave permission, buses will complete their route from Saddar to Pakistan Secretariat," he said.

His remarks indicated that the full restoration of the metro route depended on clearance from the district administration.

Relief for residents and businesses

The reopening of all areas was described as a source of relief for people in both cities, especially in the vicinity of Nur Khan Airbase, where residential and commercial zones had been affected.

The return of vehicles to city roads and the arrival of fresh supplies in major trading areas pointed to a broader resumption of daily life. The movement of goods to commercial centres was particularly significant for businesses that rely on regular deliveries.

While the reopening marked a return to routine conditions in much of the twin cities, transport operations were still not fully back to normal because of the metro bus limitation. Even so, the operation of electric buses on designated routes suggested that parts of the public transport network were functioning again.

The metro service, according to Wajid Saleem, could be extended to its full route up to the Pakistan Secretariat if the district administration grants permission. Until then, the service remains curtailed at Shaheed-i-Millat.

The development marked the full reopening of areas in the twin cities by Monday afternoon, alongside the gradual restoration of transport and commercial activity.