Pakistan
PTI protest, Sec 144 enforced for seven days across Punjab
Punjab Police said that Section 144 empowers the authorities to issue orders in the public interest which may prohibit an activity for a specified period
Lahore: In light of the current law and order situation, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province, thus banning protests and public gatherings.
The imposition of Section 144 across Punjab comes at a time when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has planned to stage nationwide protests today demanding the release of its jailed leader Imran Khan.
According to the order issued by the Home Department, Section 144 has been implemented with immediate effect and will remain in force for seven days.
Punjab Police said that Section 144 empowers the authorities to issue orders in the public interest which may prohibit an activity for a specified period.
The order stated that given the current law and order situation and security threats, gatherings can provide soft targets to terrorists and miscreants, which not only pose serious security threats but also cause inconvenience to law and order and the public.
Although no specific reason was given for imposing the ban, but Secretary Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, who issued the notice, wrote in the order that there are sufficient grounds for action under Section 144 in Punjab.
The order states that rallies, gatherings, processions, demonstrations, protests, and other such activities have been banned with immediate effect.
According to a post on social media platform X, there have also been several illegal police raids on the residences of PTI leaders in Khanewal.
The party also claimed that the office of PTI leader Humayun Khan from PP-209 Khanewal was raided and vandalized by the police.
Speaking in the National Assembly today, Leader of the Opposition Omar Ayub also condemned the implementation of Article-144 and told the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ghulam Mustafa Shah that the ban is a violation of the Constitution.
Apart from this, the police is continuing to crack down on the houses and offices of the members of the PTI. Police raided the house of PTI Secretary General Lahore Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed, Mian Haroon, Sheikh Imtiaz, ticket holder Usman Hamza, Hamad Awan, and Mian Aslam Iqbal's brother Afzal Iqbal.
A large number of opposition members could not even reach the assembly for fear of police arrest. PTI Lahore also decided to go to court against police raids on workers' houses.
Secretary General PTI Lahore Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed said that the police raided the houses of workers and ticket holders throughout the night. The government panicked at the call for peaceful protests. The protest call in favor of electoral rigging and the release of the founding chairman has not been withdrawn.