ISLAMABAD: Following months of protests on Constitution Avenue that all but crippled the government for some time, the government is looking to outlaw protests inside the high-security zone.

Sources in the police department told Dawn that a proposed ordinance to this effect may be promulgated by the president.

Proposed by the Islamabad chief commissioner’s office following recommendations from the capital police, a draft of the law has been sent to the Law Ministry, via the Interior Ministry, for promulgation as an ordinance. Once issued, the ordinance will ban gatherings and protests inside the Red Zone.

On the surface, the measure seems to be targeting the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s ongoing sit-in on D-Chowk. “The ordinance will help the government counter the PTI’s call for a major gathering on November 30, if it is promulgated,” a police source said.

Ordinances are usually put in force in times of emergency, when the National Assembly and Senate are not in session. As it will be an ordinance, the measure will lapse after 120 days. If the law were to be introduced by parliament, it would be binding and may eventually be used against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the future, unless it is repealed.

Proposed law seeks to criminalise many activities PTI, PAT have indulged in over the past few months

Senior police officers said they drafted the Establishment of High Security Zone, 2014 Ordinance earlier this month, which was sent to chief commissioner’s office.

“Now, the law ministry is reviewing the draft and improving its legal language as well as making suggestions for additional clauses as well as removing certain clauses proposed by the police,” they said.

According to the draft, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the law defines ‘high-security zone’ as any place, area, road or roads, buildings and premises notified by the authority in the official gazette declared to be high-security zone.

‘Key installations’ are defined as the buildings situated inside the Red Zone i.e. the Presidency, Prime Minster House, Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Parliament House, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Federal Shariat Court, Federal Ombudsman’s Office, Federal Board of Revenue, Radio Pakistan, Foreign Office, PTV, Cabinet Secretariat, Pakistan Secretariat, Kohsar Complex, Judicial Colony, Diplomatic Enclave, Balochistan House, KPK House, Punjab House and Sindh House.

Under the proposed regulation, law enforcement agencies may temporarily restrict or ban the entry of persons or light or heavy vehicles on the instruction of the concerned police officer not below the rank of SP, place barricades on the roads and adopt tangible measures for the security of a personality or a building or installation.

The law proposes six-month prison terms and a minimum fine of Rs10,000 for those who try to gain access to the high-security zone in an illegal way.

Those carrying weapons or instruments that may be construed as a threat to the peace will be liable to three years in prison or fined up to Rs50,000, or both.

The law also seeks to outlaw the use of innocent people, women and children as human shields or the establishment of check posts within the high-security zone, a clear reference to the way the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and PTI have been running their sit-ins for some months now.

Published in Dawn, November 16th , 2014