Army's armoured personnel carriers roll on the Parade Ground in Islamabad on March 23, 2015, when the parade was resumed after a gap of around seven years. Photo: AFP 

 

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Traffic Police have issued a traffic management plan related to the Pakistan Day parade in the capital on March 23.

According to the police, heavy traffic will be barred from entering the capital from midnight until 2pm today, March 21 and March 23.

Moreover, on the three dates mentioned above, the Faizabad section of Islamabad Expressway will be closed for all kinds of traffic from 2pm to 5pm. 

Additionally, on the said dates, the highway sections from Khanna Pul to Faizabad and Zero Point to Faizabad, and Murree Road from Rawal Dam Chowk to Faizabad will be closed for traffic from 2pm-5pm.

Residents and visitors have been advised to take alternative routes.

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The police have said that light traffic coming from Lahore on the GT Road will be diverted towards Rawalpindi from the Rawat T-Chowk and not be allowed to get on the Islamabad highway.

Similarly, the traffic coming to Islamabad from the airport in Rawalpindi will be diverted from Khanna Pul towards Lehtrar Road and Park Road from where they will be able to get on the Kashmir Highway via Rawal Dam Chowk.

For commuters heading towards the airport from Islamabad, the 9th Avenue, Murree Road and Rawal Road will be open. Commuters coming from the motorway will be able to go to Murree via the Kashmir Highway. 

On March 12, the timings for flights arriving or departing from Islamabad between until March 23 were revised to enable Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets to rehearse for the parade.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson said Islamabad's airspace will remain closed from 8am to 12:40pm and 2:30pm to 4pm.

Military parade in capital marks Pakistan Day celebrations

Contingents of Chinese, Turkish and Saudi Arabian armed forces taking part in the parade

Pakistan Day commemorates the passing of Lahore Resolution, under which a separate nation for the Muslims of the British Indian empire demanded by Muslim League was passed on March 23, 1940.

A special feature of last year's parade was the participation of the People's Liberation Army of China, Saudi Special Force contingent and Turkish Janissary Military band.

The year before, in 2015, the parade was resumed after a gap of around seven years when it was discontinued owing to the country's precarious security situation.