ISLAMABAD: The federal government posed a challenging question to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Friday by imposing Section 144 in Islamabad.
Under this section, the administration has prohibited "all kinds of gatherings of five or more persons, processions/rallies and demonstrations at any public place".
According to the notifications issued by Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil, copies of which are available with Dawn, the city administration has also prohibited the carrying of firearms by ordinary citizens, the use of loudspeakers and sound amplifiers (except for call for prayers and sermons for Friday prayers), the stock, sale, purchase and use of fire crackers and the distribution of hand-bills, pamphlets, affixing of posters and wall-chalking.
The notifications from the Deputy Commissioner Islamabad comes as the PTI gears up for its ‘Azadi’ March on August 14 to protest alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections and to press for electoral reforms.
According to notifications by the Deputy Commissioner's office, Section 144 will be in place in the federal capital for the next two months.
[Azadi] march madness: 6 days to go
The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) led federal government is bracing for a wave of protests this month, days after it invoked Article 245 of the Constitution and gave the military responsibility for securing the capital amid the spectre of a political showdown.
The army is however not bound to act in aid of the Islamabad police in the enforcement of this section unless Chief Commissioner Islamabad orders them to do so.
