LAHORE: In a bid to counter the demonstrations announced by the PTI in three districts of the province today (Wednesday), the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 in Mianwali, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur.

As per Imran Khan’s announcement, the former ruling party would hold protests in Mianwali, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur today. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram had also added Multan to the list.

But except Multan, the government slapped Section 144 in the three districts, as well as Jhang and Toba Tek Singh to “prevent disturbances of public peace, safety of lives and property of the public, and tranquillity in the districts”.

In Mianwali, Section 144 was imposed for seven days (October 1 to October 7). Rangers have also moved to the district at the request of the deputy commissioner. A request for Rangers from the Bahawalpur administration was being processed by the time this report went to press. Section 144 was also imposed in Chiniot for two days.

Regarding the imposition of Section 144 in more cities, a home department official said that the entire exercise was request-based. “It would depend on the deputy commissioner concerned.”

The showdown between the PTI and the provincial government began after the former shifted its strategy in favour of “protest rallies” due to administrative hurdles in obtaining permission for its gatherings.

“The government successfully neutralised the impact on both occasions and booked the party leadership for speeches, forcing the PTI to reconsider its approach,” a PTI leader said.

“Thus, a new conclusion: shifting to protests instead of rallies, where the party decides the venue and time for its convenience and the government is forced to react rather than preempt. It would also stretch the police thin, as protests will be held across the province rather than concentrated on a single venue.”

Reacting to the imposition of Section 144, PTI Lahore president Imtiaz Sheikh said the Punjab government imposed it so that the PTI could neither hold rallies nor tell people about the execesses that the party was suffering.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2024