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 notification added that it is “necessary to control such types of illegal activities which present a threat to public peace, tranquillity and maintenance of law & order”.
“This order shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force for a period of two months,” the notification read, with the order to be lifted on January 18, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner decided to impose Section 144 based on “imminent threats” identified by the district intelligence committee (DIC), particularly around sensitive installations, major roads and other critical infrastructure.
“The DIC has reported specific intelligence suggesting that certain groups and elements are actively mobilising with intentions to disturb the law and order situation through large gatherings, protests, and disruptive assemblies,” the notification read.
“The forum further indicates that these elements may target soft locations and mobilise individuals with the potential to engage in violent actions near key installations and other sensitive sites, thereby endangering the public peace and tranquillity.”
Public gatherings and the display of weapons in Rawalpindi have been banned for three days.
Earlier today, the PTI’s parliamentary committee stated that the party would protest outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and Adiala Jail on Tuesday against the persistent lack of meetings with party founder Imran Khan.
Imran, 72, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 no-confidence vote.
During Imran’s incarceration, he has been denied meetings repeatedly with his family, legal counsel and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, despite a court order allowing visits.
