KARACHI: The Sindh government has imposed Section 144 in the south zone amid protest announced by five rival parties in front of the assembly against ‘bogus’ elections.
The newly elected members of the provincial legislature are set to take oath in the maiden session of the Sindh Assembly on Saturday (today). The maiden session of the provincial assembly will begin at 11pm on Saturday with newly-elected members, mainly belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.
In anticipation of a protest, the caretaker provincial government has imposing restrictions on holding rallies or gatherings of public in the ‘Red Zone’ area, wherein the Sindh Assembly is located.
The leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fzal (JUI-F) announced plans to stage a protest outside the assembly building.
“… the Government of Sindh, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 (6) Cr.PC, hereby imposes a ban on public assembly, gatherings, protests, processions, and demonstrations in South Zone Karachi Division for a period of 30 days with immediate effect,” stated the provincial government’s notification issued late Friday.
It further
notifies, “In pursuance of Section 195 (i) (a) Cr.PC, the S.H.Os of the concerned Police Station are hereby authorized to register complaints under Section 188 PPC in writing for the violation of Section 144 Cr.P.C against the violators of this Notification.”
Home Minister Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz made it clear that opposition parties would not be allowed to hold protest demonstration outside the Sindh Assembly during the inaugural session.
The Home Minister said that the protest cannot be permitted outside the Sindh Assembly in the wake of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
He said that 144 CrPC is enforced in Karachi, adding that demonstration or of any type rally isnot permitted outside the Sindh Assembly.
In a statement, Brigadier (retd) Haris Nawaz said that concrete security measures were taken in and around the Sindh Assembly. He said that stern action would be taken against those exhibiting any lawlessness.
As per the ECP’s results, PPP won the most provincial assembly seats (84) followed by MQM-P (28), while independent candidates bagged 14, GDA 2, and JI two seats in the February 8 polls in Sindh.
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