Authorities impose Section 144 in Karachi, ban gatherings of more than 5 people till Sept 30

KARACHI: Karachi joined other cities that have been put under Section 144 on Thursday as authorities imposed a ban on the gathering of more than five people in the city till Sept 30.

The ban was notified in a Sept 24 order by Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi.

The notification, seen by Dawn, cited letters by the police.

The letters reported “that protests, demonstrations, sit-ins and rallies are being held on major roads, junctions and roundabouts, causing severe traffic congestion and posing serious security concerns. Such road blockages are disrupting routine public life, impeding the movement of emergency services and restricting access to hospitals”, according to the notification.

“There is reasonable apprehension that the holding, organising or facilitating of such gatherings, rallies, protests, demonstrations, processions and assemblies may obstruct public roads and thoroughfares, disrupt normal civic and commercial activities, cause inconvenience to the general public and traffic congestion, impede access to hospitals, and result in untoward incidents and deterioration of the law-and-order situation,” it said.

It was, therefore, considered “necessary and expedient to impose preventive restrictions for a specified period to avert any possible untoward incident, maintain public peace and tranquility, safeguard the lives and property of citizens, ensure public safety and security, and facilitate the uninterrupted movement of the general public and essential services”, the notification said.

It added that Section 144 was being implemented in the city, with a restriction on holding, organising, convening, facilitating or participating in any protest, demonstration, sit-in, rally, procession or other public gathering involving more than five people from Sept 24-30.

The restriction has also been imposed in Sukkur and Hyderabad till Sept 29.

Similar measures have been imposed elsewhere in the country ahead of PTI’s Sept 27 protest.

Punjab has already imposed a ban on gatherings across the province for 13 days and prohibited inciting people to “unlawful assembly”. A similar ban under Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad as well for two months.

Gatherings in the federal capital are also banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, which had been rushed through the National Assembly amidst the opposition’s outcry ahead of a PTI gathering.

The Balochistan government has also imposed Section 144 throughout the province for a 30-day period, citing reports indicating the likelihood of activities and gatherings that may adversely affect law and order and safety and security of the public.