Pakistan: Section 144 imposed in Lahore for 7 days citing terror threats
Section 144 prohibits all kinds of corner meetings, jalsa, public gatherings and congregations in the areas.
The caretaker government of Punjab province in Pakistan imposed Section 144 in Lahore for seven days, citing terror threats amid the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) protest and rallies, ARY News reported.
As per the notification, the caretaker government had imposed Section 144 in three areas of Lahore for the next seven days. It prohibits all kinds of corner meetings, jalsa, public gatherings and congregations in the areas.
As per the report, this development came after Deputy Commissioner Lahore wrote a letter to the caretaker Punjab government to impose the section.
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It is pertinent to mention that PTI Chief Imran Khan announced the Jail Bharo Tehreek schedule during his televised address to the people. On 2 February, Khan had announced "Jail Bharo Tehreek" and asked PTI workers and supporters to prepare for movement across the country.
As per details, 200 PTI workers and a six-member group of former MNAs and MNAs will present themselves for arrest on a daily basis from February 22 till March 1st. If the party workers and members are not arrested they will sit in on that place.
On February 22, the PTI workers will fill the jails on Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, workers from Peshawar will present themselves for arrest on February 23 while Rawalpindi workers on February 24, Multan and Gujranwala workers will fill the jails on February 25 and 26 respectively. While workers from Sargodha, Sahiwal and Faisalabad on February 27, 28 and March 1st.
Earlier, Khan said, "We will fill jails, they [authorities] will have no space left to hide." Blaming the incumbent coalition government for its "political victimization" of his party leaders and allies, Khan claimed that the police entered the homes of PTI workers in Multan and were tasked with such threatening tactics.
In his televised address from Lahore's Zaman Park residence from where he has been residing since being shot in the legs on November 3 last year, Khan said, "They want to enslave us by threatening to put us in jails."
In the wake of sedition cases filed against his party leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill, Khan announced "Jail Bharo Tehreek." The interim government is strongly against the PTI, he added.
Earlier in January, the provincial assembly (PA) in Pakistan's Punjab has been dissolved after the governor, Baligh Ur Rehman, said that he decided not to become part of the process.
Meanwhile, Khan was granted protective bail by a court in the eastern city of Lahore on Monday, providing him respite from arrest for two weeks in a case that involves charges under the country's anti-terrorism laws.
He has had a number of cases registered against him since a parliamentary vote ousted him from power last year. These cases range from gathering illegal funds for his political party to inciting violence against state officials.
Khan appeared before the Lahore High Court late on Monday along with hundreds of supporters, witnesses said. "In the interest of justice, we are inclined to grant him ad-interim anticipatory bail protective in nature until 03.03.2023 to enable him to approach the court of first instance," read a one-page order as seen by Reuters.
The case pertained to alleged violence by his supporters during protests last year, which Khan is charged with inciting. Khan was injured in a shooting at one of his protest gatherings last year. Khan's supporters have threatened countrywide protests if he is arrested.
(With inputs from agencies)
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First Published:21 Feb 2023, 05:45 AM IST
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