Kashmir Day walk in Islamabad today: roads closed from 7am and the routes to use

Islamabad traffic diversions for the Kashmir Day walk start at 7am today, Tuesday 27 October, and stay in place until the walk ends, Islamabad Traffic Police said in an advisory reported by ProPakistani. 27 October is observed across Pakistan as Kashmir Black Day, the anniversary of Indian troops landing in Srinagar in 1947.

If you drive through the Red Zone, Blue Area or past the Secretariat this morning, plan an extra half hour.

Roads diverted, and what to use instead

The police have also set up a separate parking plan for people joining the walk, and have asked drivers to follow officers' directions at the diversion points.

Who is affected most

Office workers heading to the Secretariat, Radio Pakistan and the offices around France Turn will hit the diversions first. Margalla Road will carry most of the extra traffic, so expect it to be slower than usual between 8am and 11am. Commuters from Rawalpindi coming in on the Expressway or the Kashmir Highway are less affected unless they are heading into the government district.

Before you leave

• Leave earlier than usual if your office is in the Red Zone or Blue Area.
• Use Margalla Road or Jinnah Avenue rather than trying to cut through the diverted stretches.
• If you are joining the walk, use the parking areas the traffic police have marked rather than parking on the road.

The walk is one of several events across the country today. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday that Pakistan's position on Kashmir "remains clear and consistent", Business Recorder reported.

Running errands across the city today? Our fuel cost calculator shows what a detour costs at today's new petrol price of Rs 379.25 a litre (details).