The Islamabad district administration has banned all public gatherings in the federal capital under Section 144, warning that people who break the order will face strict legal action. The ban was announced on Saturday as a protest march led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) moves toward the city.
In a statement, the administration said gatherings of any kind are not allowed anywhere in Islamabad. It also cited the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, noting that the law allows for imprisonment of up to three years for violators. Residents were urged to avoid illegal activity and to cooperate with security agencies.
PTI long march moves from Charsadda toward Mardan
The restrictions come as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi leads the long march toward Islamabad. Its aim is to pressure Islamabad into freeing former prime minister Imran Khan, who is behind bars. The march set out on October 5 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI governs, and has made several stops along the way.
Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan said the convoy would leave Charsadda for Mardan on Saturday, with participants expected to spend the night there. He said the march was moving peacefully and that large numbers of workers from Charsadda, Mardan and other areas were likely to join during the day.
The PTI has accused the federal government of limiting Khan’s contact with his lawyers and family. The government has denied these allegations.
Zardari calls key meeting as emergency options are weighed
President Asif Ali Zardari has called a major meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Saturday to review the country’s overall situation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and federal ministers are expected to attend, sources said.
The federal government is reportedly considering constitutional steps for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including an emergency or governor’s rule, amid friction with the PTI-led provincial government. Earlier reports suggested an emergency could cover 12 districts in the province, including all merged districts of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Those proposals were reportedly being weighed over security concerns and doubts about how the provincial government has handled counterterrorism. However, no official announcement has confirmed that either measure will be adopted.
Shehbaz invites Fazlur Rehman to discuss provincial tensions
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and invited him to the Prime Minister’s House for talks, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. The statement said Fazlur Rehman accepted and that the meeting is expected to take place soon.
The two leaders also discussed ways to ease tensions between the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments.
