ISLAMABAD: The federal as well as the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan, and the Islamabad imposed a ban on all sort of gatherings as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced observing February 8 (Saturday) as a “black day” on the first anniversary of last year’s elections.
The PTI also organized a power show on Saturday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district to mark a year since the Feb 8, 2024 general elections, the results of which were marred by debates on inconsistencies.
On Friday, the Lahore Deputy Commissioner denied permission to the party for a public meeting at the city’s Minar-e-Pakistan after the matter was referred to the DC by the Lahore High Court (LHC) following a PTI’s petition
Nevertheless, PTI’s Punjab chief organiser, Aliya Hamza Malik, has instructed party leaders to hold protest demonstrations.
According to state-run Radio Pakistan, Section 144 has been imposed “in Islamabad, Punjab and Balochistan”.
Section 144 is a legal provision of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.
“According to the notification, all gatherings, processions, rallies and sit-ins have been prohibited for maintenance of law and order and protection of lives and properties of the people,” Radio Pakistan reported.
It, however, did not specify the reason or the duration for which the ban has been imposed.
Section 144 in Punjab
A day ago, the Punjab government issued a notification imposing Section 144 across the province.
The notification said it had been reported that a political party had “announced protests/demonstrations across Punjab on Feb 8 and there is an apprehension that miscreants/mischief-mongers can take advantage of the said protest to carry out subversive/anti-state activities to fulfil their nefarious designs”.
The notification also stated that the Provincial Intelligence Committee, in its Feb 3 meeting, in the backdrop of the present wave of incidents of terrorism, had recommended imposing restrictions on all kinds of political assemblies, sit-ins, rallies and demonstrations to ensure the security of the people and installations/buildings.
In Islamabad, the last time Section 144 was in place was till January 19 at least, after an already existing ban had been extended for another two months on November 18 ahead of the PTI’s “Final Call” protest.
Similarly, a ban on protests was imposed in Punjab at the same time, which had been extended till Nov 28, 2024 at least.
In Balochistan, Section 144 was recently in effect during a gathering organised by the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) in Chaghi district’s Dalbandin. The ban had previously been imposed on December 30 as well.
Separately, a sit-in staged to protest the abduction of a 17-year-old girl in Khuzdar continued yesterday, leaving the Quetta-Karachi National Highway blocked for a second consecutive day.
