Pakistani authorities have banned public gatherings in Islamabad for two months ahead of a march planned by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s political party to the capital. The Islamabad administration, in an order on Wednesday, said that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had been imposed, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people, processions, rallies and demonstrations across the federal capital, including the high-security Red Zone.
The development comes after Islamabad Additional District Magistrate Anam Fatima issued an order on September 18, stating that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code had been enforced with immediate effect and “shall remain in force for a period of two months.”
The move comes as Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a long march to Islamabad on September 27, primarily demanding the release of the party founder, who has been incarcerated in connection with multiple cases since 2023. The leaders of Khan’s PTI party said the protest would also demand constitutional supremacy and the rule of law.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said on Monday that the party would announce its detailed protest plan on September 25 and mobilise workers across the country. The Punjab government has separately imposed Section 144 across the province and sought the deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali to assist police in maintaining law and order ahead of the march.
Authorities have also sought restrictions on mobile and internet services at specific locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on September 27 and are preparing security arrangements to prevent protesters from entering the capital. The Islamabad administration said gatherings were also prohibited under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024, warning that violations could attract legal action.
The Islamabad High Court on September 14 ruled that no political party or public office holder could block roads in the capital or use government personnel and resources for political protests. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has urged the leaders of the party to reconsider the march.
Meanwhile, Kissan Ittehad, a farmers’ group, has also announced a march on Islamabad to press for its demands, including relief from rising agricultural input costs. Authorities have stepped up security preparations around Islamabad and neighbouring Rawalpindi ahead of the planned protests.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
