Punjab bans rallies but PTI strikes defiant tone

Beleaguered party vows to stage rallies despite Section 144

LAHORE:

The Punjab government has once again enforced Section 144, banning public gatherings in Mianwali, Bahawalpur, and Faisalabad for seven days, ahead of PTI's planned protest rallies.

However, despite restrictions, PTI leadership has remained undeterred, announcing its intent to proceed with the rallies as scheduled across Punjab.

A day earlier, imprisoned former prime minister and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan issued a fresh call for nationwide protests, urging supporters to rally for the judiciary's independence.

He called for demonstrations in Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, and a power show at D-Chowk in Islamabad this Friday.

Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI's central information secretary, reiterated the party's stance, stating that despite the imposition of Section 144, PTI would hold significant protests in Multan, Mianwali, and Faisalabad.

"It is our duty to come out for the independence of the judiciary," he stressed.

Imtiaz Ahmad Sheikh, PTI Lahore President, accused the government of using Section 144 as a tool to suppress peaceful protests, arguing that the restriction was a tactic to stifle PTI's voice.

He referred to the recent arrest of an 80-year-old woman in Rawalpindi on terrorism charges, claiming she was targeted solely due to her association with Imran Khan. Sheikh further alleged that the government fears PTI's ability to expose the truth to the public.

PTI leaders predicted that today's demonstrations in Mianwali, Bahawalpur, and Faisalabad would surpass earlier rallies in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad in both size and significance.

In a symbolic act of defiance, they suggested that PTI supporters would impose their own version of "Section 144"—a nod to Imran Khan's prison badge number, 804.

Sheikh also criticized federal and provincial ministers, including Atta Tarar, Uzma Bukhari, Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, accusing them of downplaying PTI's influence.

He claimed that the large turnout expected at today's rallies would prove otherwise.

The protests, he said, are in support of judicial independence, a free election commission, and justice for Imran Khan, who faces what the party calls politically motivated charges.

In its notification, the Punjab government justified the imposition of Section 144 by citing public safety concerns, and warning of potential terrorist threats at public gatherings.

The Home Department noted that the ban was recommended by district administrations, and two companies of Punjab Rangers have been deployed to ensure law and order during the rallies.

PTI has faced frequent government interference during its rallies in Punjab and Islamabad, with law enforcement often citing concerns over civil unrest.

Last month, 10 PTI MNAs were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the newly introduced Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, following the party's power show in Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad. In Lahore, a PTI rally held on September 21 was cut short when the event exceeded its 6 pm deadline, leading police to disperse attendees.

Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, security measures were heightened to unprecedented levels, with containers blocking access to PTI's protest site at Liaquat Bagh.