Punjab Extends Ban on Public Gatherings Amid Security Concerns

Punjab Extends Ban on Public Gatherings Amid Security Concerns
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Pakistan’s Punjab province has extended a ban on gatherings of four or more people for another seven days, until November 9, in an effort to preserve public peace and order, Arab News reported. The provincial Home Department said the restrictions, first imposed on October 8 under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, were being continued due to ongoing security threats highlighted by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The curbs were originally introduced following violent protests by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party near Lahore, where clashes with police left five people dead, including two officers, and over 100 injured. Although the TLP described its march toward Islamabad as peaceful, the government later designated the group a proscribed organization.

The extended order prohibits assemblies, processions, and sit-ins in public places, along with the carrying or display of weapons, whether licensed or unlicensed. It also restricts the use of loudspeakers for provocative or sectarian content and the dissemination of material that could incite hatred or disrupt interfaith harmony.
Authorities said the continuation of restrictions is necessary to prevent potential unrest and safeguard the lives and property of citizens across the province.