Authorities in Rawalpindi have imposed Section 144 till April 20 as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party announced a protest rally on April 9 at Liaquat Bagh, a major rally venue near Adiala Jail, where former Prime Minister Imran Khan is incarcerated.
The 15-day mandate effectively bans all public gatherings, sit-ins, and rallies in the entire district. The PTI leaders warned that they would take legal action if permission for the event was denied, the Dawn reported. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the PTI will hold the rally on April 9, emphasizing their right to protest peacefully.
PTI leader Zayad Kiani said the party workers also assembled outside Adiala jail on April 7, but the police dispersed them by tear-gas shelling. Visuals accessed by News18 purportedly showed a clash between police and PTI supporters, who were engaged in a tense confrontation with the authorities following an administrative crackdown to prevent them from gathering outside the jail premises.
According to the deputy commissioner’s order, the restrictions are stringent, specifically prohibiting the display of arms, use of loudspeakers, pillion riding, and delivery of any “objectionable or hate speeches". Security has been significantly bolstered around Adiala Jail and its surrounding entry points, with a heavy police presence deployed to ensure no supporters can gather.
