Section | Pakistan

Authorities have imposed Section 144 in Diamer district for 60 days as preparations for the 2026 Gilgit-Baltistan General Assembly elections enter the final phase, with thousands of officials deployed to oversee polling across the region.

ISLAMABAD: PTI’s Islamabad wing held a protest in the federal capital on Friday despite Section 144 being in place, which restricts public gatherings. It is worth mentioning that Tehreek Tahaffuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and PTI had given a call to hold countrywide protests against former prime minister Imran Khan’s imprisonment, rising inflation and other issues on Friday. The protest, held on Lehtrar Road near Taramri Chowk, was organised under the direction of PTI Islamabad President Aamir Mughal and led by General Secretary Malik Aamir Ali. PTI Islamabad Senior Vice President Raja Sajjad Dhanyal, Women’s Wing President Maimoona Kamal, Youth Wing President Murad Bukhari, Insaf Students Federation representatives and other leaders and activists participated in the protest. The protesters also demanded the release and proper medical treatment of the PTI founder and highlighted concerns over soaring inflation, deteriorating law and order, and the recent increase in petroleum product prices. Mughal, speaking to...

The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 around Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases and commercial airports across the province, tightening security measures to safeguard flight operations and prevent potential threats.

The Punjab government on Thursday banned multiple activities near airports and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) bases, which may pose a “serious risk” to flight operations and aviation assets, under Section 144 for 30 days. A notification issued by the Home Department dated May 19 said that, according to reliable sources, certain activities — including pigeon homing, the use of laser lights, and throwing of meat (sadqa) for the consumption of carnivorous birds around air bases and airports — may “pose a serious risk to flight operations and aviation assets”. It said that there were sufficient grounds to proceed under Section 144 as an “immediate prevention to disturbance of public peace, safety of lives and property of public and tranquility”. Therefore, the government banned pigeon homing; the use of laser lights by hotels, malls, or shops, etc.; and throwing of meat (sadqa) in open areas or on rooftops. The Home Department secretary, under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), banned the activiti...

QUETTA: The Balochistan government on Sunday imposed Section 144 across the province for a month. In a notification available with Dawn, the provincial government imposed a complete ban on gatherings of five or more than five persons, including sit-ins, processions, or rallies throughout the province for 30 days, effective immediately. The ban also extended to covering faces in public places, “particularly through the use of mufflers, masks, or any other means that obstruct identification”, as well as the display or use of weapons, pillion riding, tinted glasses on vehicles and using unregistered motorcycles. In light of the development, Special Assistant to the Home Department Babar Khan Yousafzai, in a statement, said that security had been placed on high alert. “If Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan make any attempt of any misadventure, they will be met with full force,” he said, adding that security forces remained ready to thwart such attempts and all institutions remained on high alert. The state ...

The Federal Constitutional Court on Thursday declared Section 7E of the Income Tax Ordinance null and void, dismissing appeals filed by the Federal Board of Revenue seeking its reinstatement.

The local administration has imposed Section 144 in Murree and placed security on high alert in the hill station.

The Punjab Home Department has extended the enforcement of Section 144 across Punjab, maintaining a ban on the use of drones in open areas for an additional 30 days.

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Monday commenced hearing a batch of petitions concerning the controversial Section 7E of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: The PTI said on Tuesday that the sisters of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan were taken into custody by law enforcement agencies as they attempted to stage a protest outside Adiala jail. The PTI had called for a “peaceful protest” outside the Adiala jail on Tuesday against the restrictions on meeting Imran. The party has also announced a protest in Rawalpindi on April 9 (Thursday), marking the day the former prime minister was ousted in a no-confidence motion in 2022. However, Section 144 was imposed in Rawalpindi under which gatherings were banned across the district for 15 days. Despite the imposition of Section 144 and the rainy weather in the twin cities, a large number of leaders and workers of PTI reached Adiala jail on Tuesday. PTI Core Committee member Seemabia Tahir told Dawn that party leaders, along with Imran’s three sisters, were stopped at DHA Chowk near Adiala jail. “Law enforcement agencies had already vacated a hotel in the vicinity; they arrested Noreen Niazi and U...

PESHAWAR: The district administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan has imposed Section 144 in view of the prevailing law and order situation, restricting movement on several roads and in sensitive areas, according to an official notification on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan said the restrictions would remain in force from 6am to 6pm, during which the movement of passenger vehicles, cargo transport and motorcycles would be completely prohibited in designated areas. According to the notification, Dera-Tank Road from Tariq Shaheed to Bhugowal will remain closed, while several other roads, including Kulachi-Hathala Road, Kot Attal Road and Garah Abdullah Road will also remain shut to traffic. Authorities said a number of link roads, including Tikwarah-Hathala Road, Pota Badh, Kanori-Garah Mohabbat, Chehkan village to Darbari and the Pota–Kot Isa Khan link road, will remain closed during the restriction period. The administration has also ordered the closure of Pota Hathala Bazaar from 6...

The district administration on Thursday imposed Section 144 in the districts of Upper South Waziristan and Lower South Waziristan due to rising security concerns and to facilitate the movement of logistics for security forces. Officials said the move aims to ensure public safety, maintain law and order, and facilitate the uninterrupted operational movement of security personnel. Upper South Waziristan Deputy Commissioner Asmatullah Wazir confirmed that Section 144 has been enforced in the tehsils of Sarvekai and Sararogha from 6am to 6pm. During this period, all movement will be strictly prohibited, and all markets and commercial centres will remain closed. The affected routes include Makin, Sararogha, Kot Kai and Spinkai Raghzai up to Nazar Khel. Additionally, the route from Dargai Bridge through Madi Jan, Sheen Warsak and Moley Khan Sarai to Chagmalai will also remain closed. Officials said in the statement that residents have been instructed to stop their vehicles at least 50 metres before approaching secu...

The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province to prevent incitement and maintain public order during the upcoming Basant celebrations, introducing a set of restrictions aimed at ensuring public safety.

The District Police Officer (DPO) Murree has enforced Section 144 to ensure the safety of tourists and maintain law and order ahead of New Year celebrations.

A notification from the Islamabad district magistrate ordered that Section 144 be imposed in the Islamabad Capital Territory for two months, while another notification from the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner ordered that the ban be imposed on Monday until December 3. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. According to the Islamabad magistrate’s notification — dated November 18 and available with Dawn — the order was imposed due to “certain segments of society … planning to organise unlawful assemblies … within the jurisdiction of Islamabad Capital Territory”. It did not elaborate on what unlawful assemblies were expected to take place. The order prohibits “all kinds of gatherings of five or more persons, processions/rallies and demonstrations at any public place within the Revenue Limits of District Islamabad, including the Red Zone”, the notification read. The notifi...

The District Administration has imposed Section 144 around all competitive examination centers to ensure the fair and transparent conduct of the PMS/AETOS exams.

The Sindh government on Tuesday extended the imposition of Section 144 across the province for another month, a notification from the Sindh Home Department stated. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. The department imposed Section 144 across the province for a period of one month on October 12 to maintain law and order in the interest of “public and peace”. According to the notification, available with Dawn, the ban on all public gatherings and demonstrations was extended for another month, effective from November 12 (Wednesday). “In continuation to this department’s notification of even number dated [October 12], the ban imposed under Section 144 (6) CrPC, 1898 … is hereby extended for a period of one month with effect from [November 12], 2025,” the notification read. The ban was initially imposed after the religiopolitical party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) b...

The Punjab Home Department has extended the enforcement of Section 144 across the province for another seven days, keeping restrictions in place until November 15.

The Balochistan government has enforced Section 144 across the province for one month in response to heightened security concerns.

LAHORE - The government of Punjab has extended the enforcement of Section 144 across the province for another seven days, until November 8 (Saturday), in view of security concerns and to maintain public order.