The Rawalpindi district administration on Wednesday declined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request to organize a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh scheduled for Thursday. The refusal was primarily due to the enforcement of Section 144 across the district.
PTI had announced on Monday its intention to hold the political rally on April 9 and threatened legal action if permission was withheld. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi, in a letter addressed to Aqil Khan, PTI General Secretary for Rawalpindi District, explained that the decision followed a thorough evaluation of the current law and order situation alongside recent security threat alerts.
In a significant development, the matter was also examined during meetings of the District Intelligence Committee (DIC). The committee reviewed the prevailing threat landscape and received input from law enforcement agencies, which identified credible risks linked to large-scale public events. It was emphasized that such gatherings could endanger the safety of attendees and the general public, as well as pose risks to property.
Furthermore, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C), 1898, remains in effect throughout Rawalpindi district. The DIC also pointed out that the extensive deployment of police and security personnel necessary to safeguard a large and complex venue like Liaquat Bagh is currently unfeasible. This limitation stems from the ongoing global energy crisis and recently implemented government austerity measures.
Given these constraints, the administrative, logistical, and financial demands required to ensure adequate security at such a large public gathering present considerable challenges. Consequently, based on the unanimous recommendation of the District Intelligence Committee and feedback from law enforcement agencies, the request to hold the PTI rally was formally rejected.
