Amid PTI protest, section-144 imposed in Islamabad for two months

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan on Thursday imposed section-144 with immediate effect banning political meetings, rallies and protests in the capital ahead of a planned march of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on November 2.

The ban will remain in force for at least two months, said Federal Ministry of Interior in a statement.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has threatened to lockdown Islamabad in a bid to force PM Nawaz to step down over the infamous Panamagate Scandal.

The premier faces mounting public pressure after few of his family members were named as holders of offshore bank accounts in leaked financial documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Although, Sharif has defended his financial records to explain the details of his family business in the parliament and televised speeches, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has scheduled a hearing on the scandal on November 1.

The government was of the view that PTI must postpone the Islamabad march and wait for the court’s decision while on the other hand, the Chairman PTI has alleged that the police have been detaining its workers and harassing its leadership.

“No power can stop our rally,” Khan announced in a press conference on Thursday and added, “It is our legal, democratic, constitutional right.”