Islamabad imposes two-month Section 144 ban ahead of PTI long march

On Sept 18, Islamabad’s Additional District Magistrate Dr Anam Fatima ordered the enforcement of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for a period of two months, banning any gathering of five or more people, processions, rallies or demonstrations across the capital, including the Red Zone. The measure was taken in response to plans by the Kissan Ittehad and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold long marches and sit-ins, notably a PTI march scheduled for Sept 27 to demand the release of its founder Imran Khan from Adiala jail.

The administration warned that unlawful assemblies could threaten public peace, safety and property, and stated that breaches of the order or the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024 could result in up to three years’ imprisonment. Security preparations are underway in Islamabad and the surrounding Rawalpindi Division, with the Punjab government also imposing a 13-day Section 144 and seeking Ranger deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali. Earlier, the federal government authorized three companies of the Pakistan Army to operate in Rawalpindi for six months to handle sensitive security duties.