Authorities impose Section 144 in Karachi, ban gatherings of more than 5 people till Sept 30
KARACHI: Karachi joined other cities that have been put under Section 144 on Thursday as authorities imposed a ban on the gathering of more than five people in the city till Sept 30. The ban was notified in a Sept 24 order by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi. The notification, seen by Dawn , cited letters by the police. The letters reported “that protests, demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies are…
Karachi has become the latest city to join a list of urban areas under Section 144, with authorities imposing a ban on gatherings of more than five individuals until September 30. This decision came from a notification issued by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi on September 24, following letters from the police. The letters highlighted concerns regarding protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, and rallies occurring on major roads, junctions, and roundabouts.
These gatherings were causing significant traffic congestion and raising serious security issues, thereby disrupting daily life, hampering emergency services, and restricting access to hospitals.
The notification emphasized the apprehension that such gatherings could obstruct public roads, disrupt routine activities, cause inconvenience to the public, and lead to traffic congestion and untoward incidents. Consequently, it was deemed necessary to impose preventive restrictions for a specified period to maintain public peace, protect lives and property, ensure public safety, and allow for uninterrupted movement of the general public and essential services. Similarly, Section 144 was also implemented in Sukkur and Hyderabad until September 29.
This restriction has been extended to other parts of the country in anticipation of PTI’s protest on September 27. Punjab has already imposed a 13-day ban on gatherings throughout the province and prohibited inciting people to form "unlawful assemblies." A similar ban under Section 144 has also been enforced in Islamabad for a duration of two months.
In Islamabad, gatherings are additionally banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, which was hastily passed in the National Assembly amid opposition protests ahead of a PTI gathering. Moreover, the Balochistan government has imposed Section 144 throughout the province for a 30-day period, citing potential activities and gatherings that could adversely affect law and order and public safety.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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