Punjab govt bans rallies ahead of PTI's Feb 8 'rigged elections' protest

• Punjab govt bans all kinds of political assemblies, rallies.
• Section 144 imposed to protect human lives, properties: home dept
• Intelligence committee recommends ban of political gatherings.  

The Punjab Home Department has imposed Section 144 across the province, restricting all kinds of political assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies and other activities on Saturday (tomorrow) on the eve of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest against the alleged rigging during the February 8, 2024 general elections.

Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to ban an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.

Jailed Imran Khan-founded PTI is set to observe “Black Day" to mark the first anniversary of “rigged general elections” tomorrow. 

“Section 144 has been imposed to protect human lives and properties and maintain law and order situation [in the backdrop of PTI’s protests],” said a spokesperson of the home department.

The decision was made in light of the recommendation of the cabinet committee on law and order and the provincial intelligence committee, the spokesperson added. 

A day earlier, the Lahore city district administration rejected PTI’s application to hold a public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan on February 8.

The deputy commissioner denied permission citing security reasons.

The former ruling party, following its negotiations with the government fell apart announced protest rallies against 2024 polls dubbed by opposition parties as “heavily manipulated” elections.

The Imran Khan-founded party's ended negotiations after the latter's failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and November 2024 protests as per its charter of demands.

The dialogue process between the PML-N-led government and the PTI commenced in late December after months of heightened political tensions.

With the party also announcing a rally in Swabi on Feb 8 (tomorrow), PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar warned of agitation against the ruling coalition, saying that the party's desire to hold dialogue with the government was misconstrued as its weakness.

Reacting to the PTI’s protest and Swabi Jalsa, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused the Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur-led government of using state machinery, resources and public wealth to stage a rally. He feared the provincial administration would force government servants to attend the rally and fill the venue.

“PTI is decrying rigging in KP, where they are in power,” he said and dared the former ruling party to stage protest demonstrations in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, where the Khan-founded party claimed its mandate was stolen.

Taking a dig at CM Gandapur, the defence czar said PTI’s leadership used to vanish when it came to holding protests in other provinces.