The Karachi administration on Tuesday imposed a ban on “all forms of public gatherings” across the division until November 24 in view of an ongoing defence exhibition in the city. The ban comes in view of the four-day International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2024 taking place at the Karachi Expo Centre. The show is being hosted by the defence ministry and the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) from November 19 to 22. A notification by the Karachi division commissioner’s office cited Additional Inspector General Javed Akhtar Odho as stating that public gatherings were likely to “pose a grave security risk and cause inconvenience to international guests expected to participate in IDEAS 2024”.

Hence, Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi ordered a “complete ban on any type of protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, rallies and assemblies of more than five persons” within the limits of Karachi Division for seven days from Monday onwards. The ban has been imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which empowers district administrations to place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time. The notification contended that the “situation warrants immediate action as there are sufficient grounds to proceed under section 144 CrPC to prohibit gatherings in order to maintain law and order situation within Karachi Division to prevent any untoward incident”. The notification noted that station house officers were empowered to register cases at the police stations concerned if the ban was violated.

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has announced the closure of all private schools situated at and around Sharea Faisal and Habib Ibrahim Rahmatullah Road for four days starting today (Tuesday). According to a government announcement, the movement of dignitaries to Expo Centre will be taking place frequently via these roads during this time. Section 144 was last imposed across Karachi Division in October, ahead of separate marches announced by a religio-political party and the civil society. On October 13, police clashed with protesters outside the Karachi Press Club, with ten police officials being suspended later for maltreatment meted out to the activists.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan