CM Afridi has instructed all provincial assembly members to reach Islamabad immediately for planned protest tomorrow
The Islamabad Capital Territory administration and District Administration Rawalpindi have imposed Section 144 across the cities in the wake of the PTI protest announced outside Adiala Jail and the Islamabad High Court tomorrow.
A spokesman for the ICT administration confirmed the enforcement of Section 144, which restricts all forms of public gatherings, demonstrations, and rallies. “No individual or group will be allowed to organise protests or hold any public events under these restrictions,” the spokesman said.
The measures are already in effect and apply to all areas of Islamabad. Authorities have made it clear that they will take immediate action against anyone attempting to organise or participate in activities that fall outside the legal framework, including unauthorised events.
In addition, the administration issued a public advisory urging residents to refrain from participating in any activities that violate the imposed restrictions. The advisory stated that the ban is intended to prevent disruptions to daily life and maintain public order. It warned that violations would result in prompt legal action.
Officials have called for cooperation from the public to ensure the successful enforcement of Section 144, emphasising that peace and order is a collective responsibility. The ICT administration reiterated that the restrictions would remain in place until further notice.
Meanwhile, District Administration has imposed Section 144 in Rawalpindi for three days, effective from December 1 to December 3, in response to growing concerns over PTI protests near Adiala Jail.
The decision was made during a key meeting of the District Intelligence Committee, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema on Monday.
The notification issued by DC Cheema restricts all forms of gatherings, rallies, and processions in Rawalpindi district during the enforcement period. The administration has heightened security measures in the area, with the police and other law enforcement agencies placed on high alert.
“Section 144 will remain in effect from December 1 to December 3, prohibiting any public assemblies, rallies, or processions,” stated the official notification. “Police and relevant authorities will work in coordination to ensure peace and security,” Cheema added.
In a move to show solidarity with ongoing protests, Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Sohail Afridi has instructed all provincial assembly members to travel to Islamabad immediately.
Sources said that the directive was issued after a meeting of the provincial cabinet. “All assembly members must reach Islamabad tonight,” Afridi said, confirming that the lawmakers would be actively participating in a protest planned for tomorrow.
Following the announcement, members of the provincial assembly began their journey to Islamabad after the session. The protest is scheduled to take place outside the Islamabad High Court and Adiala Jail, where it is anticipated to gather significant support.
Last week, CM Sohail Afridi on Friday morning ended his nearly 15-hour sit-in at Factory Naka near Adiala Jail after a night of negotiations with jail officials, none of which yielded the assurances he had sought.
Afridi had launched the protest at around 5:15 pm on Thursday after authorities once again denied him permission to meet the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder — the eighth such refusal since he assumed office.
The sit-in continued until 8 am on Friday, drawing party workers to the site as talks stretched through the night.
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Announcing the decision to wind up the protest, Afridi told reporters he had exhausted “all constitutional and legal options” in his efforts to secure a meeting. “What path is left for me through which I can meet my leader?” he asked, adding that despite a court order, neither he nor other PTI leaders had been allowed access to the party’s jailed founding chairman.
Afridi also recalled earlier incidents in which the founder’s sisters were stopped on Adiala Road, alleging they had been humiliated. “All of this is being done to break the founder. Bushra Bibi is being targeted,” he said. He claimed that in the past “those who fled to London” were granted dozens of visitors inside the same facility.
“As I stand here, the court’s orders are not being implemented,” he added. “The whole night has passed, and now morning has come, yet I am not allowed to meet him.”
Afridi announced he would now proceed to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), saying he would inform the chief justice that three judges had issued written directives allowing the meeting. “If courts cannot ensure compliance with their own orders, the country will slip into the law of the jungle,” he warned.
