The Punjab government invoked Section 144 in Rawalpindi district on Friday, prohibiting public gatherings for two days, in response to PTI’s call for supporters to gather at Liaquat Bagh. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows district authorities to ban assemblies of four or more individuals for a set duration, aimed at preventing disturbances, maintaining order, and averting violent escalations.
On Monday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced at a press conference that the party planned a rally in Rawalpindi on Saturday. He mentioned that the PTI had applied for a no-objection certificate (NOC) and urged the Punjab government to approve it.
However, PTI founder Imran Khan later declared that the rally had been called off, citing concerns that the government might deny permission and designate an alternative venue in the suburbs. Instead, the party opted to hold protests, with PTI lawyers planning a demonstration outside the Supreme Court.
A Punjab Home Department notification dated September 27—available on Dawn.com—revealed that a political party intended to hold a demonstration on Saturday. It warned of potential “miscreants” exploiting the protest to carry out subversive activities. Consequently, Section 144(6) was enforced in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Attock to safeguard public security and protect key installations from potential threats.
The notification further prohibited all forms of political gatherings, protests, sit-ins, rallies, and similar events over the weekend. It also banned the carrying of weapons in the affected districts.
Omar Ayub Khan’s Call for Support:
Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan shared a video message on X, urging citizens to gather at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on Saturday at 2 PM, insisting that such assemblies are a constitutional right.
At the PTI’s previous rally in Lahore, the event ended abruptly as authorities cut the power and cleared the stage after the 6 PM deadline. Key figures like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Omar Ayub Khan had not yet arrived when the rally was dispersed.
On September 8, PTI staged a major rally in Sangjani near Islamabad, but when it extended beyond the allowed timeframe, police forcibly dispersed the crowd, sparking clashes. The following day, several top PTI leaders were arrested, though by September 12, 10 party members were presented in the National Assembly after their production orders were issued.
