{"id":16402,"date":"2025-11-02T17:30:41","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T12:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/?p=16402"},"modified":"2025-11-02T17:30:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T12:30:42","slug":"punjab-extends-enforcement-of-section-144-maintains-ban-on-rallies-and-public-gatherings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/?p=16402","title":{"rendered":"Punjab Extends Enforcement of Section 144, Maintains Ban on Rallies and Public Gatherings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>LAHORE:<\/strong> The Punjab Home Department has extended the enforcement of <strong>Section 144<\/strong> across the province for an additional seven days, maintaining a strict ban on rallies, demonstrations, sit-ins, and other public gatherings. The extension will remain effective until <strong>November 8<\/strong>, according to an official notification issued by the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The move comes amid growing political activity and calls for protest gatherings by various groups, prompting the provincial administration to continue preventive measures to maintain law and order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the notification, all forms of processions, political rallies, sit-ins, protests, and assemblies involving <strong>four or more people in public places<\/strong> will remain strictly prohibited under the continued enforcement of Section 144. The directive aims to avert any potential disturbances to public peace, traffic flow, or security in major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department stated that the government\u2019s top priority is to ensure peace and stability across the province. \u201cThe extension of Section 144 is a precautionary step to prevent any untoward incidents and to safeguard citizens\u2019 lives and property,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The spokesperson emphasized that gatherings without prior authorization would be treated as violations of the law, and organizers could face legal action. \u201cCitizens are advised to refrain from participating in any unauthorized demonstrations or processions. Law enforcement agencies have been instructed to ensure full compliance with the order,\u201d the official added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), authorities are empowered to prohibit assemblies, public meetings, or processions that could potentially lead to unrest or endanger public safety. The provision is often invoked temporarily in situations requiring heightened security or political sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officials noted that the decision followed detailed consultations with law enforcement agencies and intelligence departments, who reported concerns about possible disruptions due to ongoing political tensions and religious gatherings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sources within the administration said that police and district authorities have been directed to remain vigilant and enhance patrolling, particularly in sensitive areas where large crowds or spontaneous protests are likely to emerge. The provincial government has also urged political parties and civil society groups to cooperate with the authorities and avoid any actions that could lead to law-and-order challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Human rights groups and some political figures, however, have expressed concern over the prolonged use of Section 144, arguing that it restricts citizens\u2019 constitutional right to peaceful assembly. They have called for the government to adopt a balanced approach that ensures both security and democratic freedoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, officials maintain that the decision is temporary and driven purely by security considerations. The Home Department clarified that once the situation is deemed stable and the threat of unrest subsides, restrictions will be lifted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LAHORE: The Punjab Home Department has extended the enforcement of Section 144 across the province for an additional seven days, maintaining a strict ban on rallies, demonstrations, sit-ins, and other public gatherings. The extension will remain effective until November 8, according to an official notification issued by the department. The move comes amid growing political [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","inline_featured_image":false,"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"no","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_3859443944190656_798604363342440":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[{"account":"facebook_3859443944190656_798604363342440","service":"facebook","timestamp":1762086676,"status":"success"}],"rop_publish_now_status":"done","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16402"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16404,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16402\/revisions\/16404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakjazbo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}