Despite being in throes of violence for the past many decades, Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has most of the time enjoyed political stability.
asserted
Peshawar → enjoy → stability
The violence came and went but political stability was always there despite the sabre-rattling with federal government and marches on Islamabad.
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stability → come → Islamabad
However, all this changed on Sunday after the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in the province.
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this → change → province
The night before, skies of Peshawar poured buckets, flooding roads and drenching the city; however, the Sunday morning was warm and sunny.
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morning → pour → city
Yet it started with a sense of dread as uncertainty hung heavy over the city.
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uncertainty → start → city
The telltale signs of not everything is good dawned upon after reaching for telephone, the ritual everyone does upon waking up.
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everyone → dawn → telephone
The impending doom was there for all to see: no mobile signals.
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all → impend → ?
Routine journey in the city turns into hectic exercise as governor’s rule imposed
The city had witnessed a nearly 48 hours long mobile service blackout just days ago owing to PTI protest march.
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city → turn → march
Outside, the stations of Peshawar Bus Transit (BRT), whose buses come on road early in the morning, remained shut.
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buses → come → morning
The GT Road was closed at Firdous Chowk by placing shipping containers.
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Road → close → containers
A large number of police personnel was deputed at this spot.
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number → depute → spot
Only pedestrians were allowed to move ahead on GT Road and a large number of cops were sitting outside the shuttered shops on GT Road between Hospital Road and Firdous Chowk, also called the Malik Saad Shaheed Chowk.
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number → allow → Road
A bearded cop on the road stopped me and handed over a shopping bag containing fried peas.
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cop → stop → peas
Perplexed, I looked at him and he turned his back toward me, asking me to put the peas into the back pocket of his bulletproof vest.
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he → look → vest
The gates of Bala Hisar Fort, which houses the headquarters of Frontier Corps North, were shuttered and a contingent of policemen was resting on the footpath.
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contingent → house → footpath
A few steps from here just outside the KP Assembly is Surey Chowk, from where GT Road leads commuters to Khyber Road, which houses the city red zone.
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which → lead → zone
The road leading to Khyber Road was blocked with containers and the gate erected to control traffic was also closed.
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gate → lead → traffic
A large number of cops were milling around Surey Pul Square, which is the most favoured spot for protesters of all kinds and hues.
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which → mill → kinds
At the end of Justice Rustam Kiyani Road near central jail , where the artery leads to Sher Shah Suri Road, an old armoured personnel carrier was parked and two cops there were telling walkers not to proceed further.
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cops → lead → walkers
A few of us ignored their warnings but just next to MPA Hostel, a large contingent of cops yelled at us to go back and take detour through Shoba Bazaar.
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contingent → ignore → Bazaar
The Jail Pul, which connects Sher Shah Suri Road with Khyber Bazaar, was also closed.
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which → connect → Bazaar
I met an acquaintance there who offered to take me through Civil Secretariat and we entered the Police Road and secretariat without any hassle.
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we → meet → hassle
Civil Secretariat, the beating heart of KP government, was completely deserted with a few cars parked outside the chief secretary office.
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cars → beat → office
On Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Road, where houses of minister and governor are located, security was very tight and police personnel were checking everyone heading towards both the houses.
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personnel → locate → houses
From the distance, I saw a large number of vehicles parked outside the Governor’s Houses.
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I → see → Houses
Walking the road in the opposite direction towards Khyber Road, I saw an APC, a prison van and truck carrying riot police, heading in the direction of Chief Minister House.
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APC → walk → House
After a few minutes’ walk, a barricade was erected on Khyber Road near Army Stadium and when I approached the personnel standing there and explained that I needed to cross to the other side, a plainclothes youth holding a radio just sputtered a series of “no, no, no, no.
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youth → erect → series
You must go back.
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You → go → ?
This road is closed and we cannot open this barrier.
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we → close → barrier
I stood there in plain confusion thinking of what to do.
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I → stand → what
No question of going back and with no telephone, I was unable to approach any official.
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I → go → official
Then as a last resort, I pleaded with paramilitary personnel to let me out and one of them signalled another guard to open the gate for me.
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one → plead → me
But the plainclothes again jumped in front of me and said no.
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plainclothes → jump → me
Then the other, standing behind laughed, perhaps, they were enjoying my confusion or saw fear on my face.
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they → stand → face
“How rudimentary freedom is,” muses one of the characters in JM Coetzee.
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one → muse → Coetzee
Little did we realise how important is the ability to move freely without any fear, without being stopped.
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ability → realise → fear
Outside the stretch of Khyber Road, connecting University Road and Airport Road, Amn Chowk was open but there was little traffic.
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Chowk → connect → Road
A large contingent of cops was present at Amn Chowk, previously called the Gora Qabristan Chowk.
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contingent → call → Chowk
The University Road was blocked at Tehkal with containers, a biker told me.
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biker → block → me
There were also containers on Stadium Chowk only letting cars in a single line on both sides.
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cars → be → sides
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
