Says province faces ‘serious and imminent threat’ from terrorist groups and hostile agencies<\/p>\n
Police officers guard a street where shipping containers have been used to block the road leading towards the Red Zone and parliament building, in Islamabad on April 3, 2022. Photo: Reuters <\/p>\n
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The Punjab government imposed Section 144 across the province for 10 days on Tuesday, banning gatherings of five or more people amid what it called a \u201cserious and imminent threat\u201d to public peace and the safety of life and property.<\/p>\n
The decision came a day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf\u2019s (PTI) long march reached Kohat. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is leading the convoy, which began its march towards Islamabad on Sunday to demand the release of party founder Imran Khan and press the government over what PTI describes as broader political and constitutional grievances.\u00a0The convoy is currently in Kohat after travelling through Lakki Marwat and Karak, and is expected to depart for Peshawar later today as the party continues its phased mobilisation towards the federal capital.<\/p>\n
According to the notification, the restrictions were imposed under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, through an order issued by the Punjab Home Department.<\/p>\n
The order said, \u201cCredible reports from LEAs and IAs indicate a serious and imminent threat to public peace, tranquillity, and the safety of life & property across the province of Punjab by militant\/terrorist organisations and Hostile Intelligence Agencies (HIAs).\u201d<\/p>\n
It said multiple threat alerts had been received about possible terrorist activities involving suicide bombers, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) and target killings during large public gatherings across Punjab.<\/p>\n
Such attacks could be used \u201cto create mayhem, social unrest and disrupt public peace & tranquillity\u201d, the order said.<\/p>\n
It said assemblies, rallies, gatherings, sit-ins, processions, demonstrations and jalsas could present \u201cpotential targets for such terrorist attacks\u201d, adding that the possibility of an act of terrorism during such activities could not be ruled out.<\/p>\n
The order also said there was a \u201cstrong apprehension\u201d that certain elements could organise activities, gatherings or demonstrations that might lead to assemblies of people and provide \u201ceasy targets for any hostile activity\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch an incident could be a breach of public peace, disturbance of the public order, a security risk for the general public and could result in loss of life, property and critical infrastructure,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
The inspector general of Punjab police, counter-terrorism department, special branch and several divisional and district administrations had requested \u201cimmediate preventive measures\u201d to address potential terrorism and hostile activities, the order said.<\/p>\n
Under the restrictions, a complete ban was imposed on assemblies, processions and gatherings of five or more people in any public place, street, road, highway, motorway or open space.<\/p>\n