Punjab imposes section 144 for one week

The Punjab government Sunday imposed section 144 and banned the gatherings and sit-ins of four or more persons across the province for seven days.

Such assemblies were prohibited in “any public place, street, road, or open space except with the prior permission of the deputy commissioner concerned”, a notification by the Home Department said.

The ban did not apply to marriage ceremonies, funeral prayers, burial processions, courts of law, and “assemblies of officers/officials in government or semi-government offices for official duty”.

A complete ban was also imposed on the “carrying, display, or brandishing of all kinds of weapons (both licensed and unlicensed) or any destruction-causing material in public places” for seven days.

The notification clarified that the ban did not apply to personnel of LEAs and security agencies on official duty.

“This order shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force for a period of seven (07) days, unless modified or withdrawn earlier,” the notification stated.

It stated: “Multiple credible threat alerts, regarding possible terrorist activities planned by hostile groups aimed at targeting minorities or Muslim scholars to trigger sectarian unrest, have been received.

“Assemblies, rallies, gatherings, sit-ins, processions, demonstrations, jalsas etc could present a convenient target for such terrorist attacks, and the possibility of an untoward incident cannot be ruled out.”

The Home Department noted there was a “strong apprehension that certain political, sectarian or anti-social elements may engage in activities, assemblies, gatherings or demonstrations that are likely to cause a breach of public peace, disturb the public order, and create a security risk for the general public and critical infrastructure”.