RAWALPINDI – The Rawalpindi district administration on Monday enforced Section 144 of the CrPC, banning all rallies, sit-ins, protests, and gatherings of more than four people as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) plans nationwide protests on August 5 to mark two years since the arrest of its founder, Imran Khan.
In a notification, Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema stated the ban is effective immediately and will remain in place until August 10.
Meanwhile, Adiala Jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum requested additional security from the City Police Officer, citing possible protests by PTI supporters outside the prison. He highlighted the jail’s overcrowding—7,700 inmates in a facility built for 2,174—and the presence of political prisoners and terrorists, calling the situation “very sensitive.”
The superintendent urged the deployment of more personnel, barriers, and surveillance from Dahgal Checkpost to Gate No. 5 of Adiala Jail. Similar security requests have also been sent to the Home Department, IG Prisons, and RPO.
PTI, which has been consistently demanding Imran Khan’s release, announced fresh protests during a press conference in Islamabad led by senior leaders Asad Qaiser and Omar Ayub. Khan, jailed since August 5, 2023, was sentenced to three years in the Toshakhana case and faces multiple charges, including treason and terrorism.
