PESHAWAR: District administration here on Monday imposed section 144 for three days in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid security concerns.
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) empowers the district administration to issue orders in the public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time.
According to a notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar, due to security concerns, section 144 has been imposed in Peshawar for three days. During these three days, a gathering of five or more people will remain banned.
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) empowers district administration to issue orders in public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time.
Such a ban is enforced by the police who register cases under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code for violations of the ban. Section 188 carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison or fine or both.
According to the notification, Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Shah Fahad said that the law enforcement agencies had provided credible information that “non-state actors and miscreants are planning to sabotage the general law and order and peaceful atmosphere in the district”. “And to prevent a breach of peace, it is imperative to take extraordinary measures in the greater public interest,” he stated.
The Deputy Commissioner also highlighted that there was an apprehension of miscreants trying to exploit any unlawful gatherings and assemblies “by way of terrorist/militant activity” and lead to a mishap.
“Therefore, I, Shah Fahad […] hereby order and impose a ban on unlawful and unauthorized gathering and assembly of more than five persons within the premises of District Peshawar,” the notification quoted the DC as saying.
It added that anyone found violating the order shall be proceeded against Section 188 of the PPC.
The Section 144 ban is enforced by the police who register cases under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code for violations of the ban. Section 188 carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison or fine or both.
In recent months, Pakistan has been hit by a wave of terrorism, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November.
Most recently, militants targeted security forces in three overnight attacks in the Lakki Marwat district, triggering shoot-outs in which three soldiers were martyred and seven militants were killed.
The bloodshed came days after the military declared a new offensive against militants amid a resurgence of attacks in recent months, including a Peshawar mosque bombing that killed scores of 100 people in February.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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