Rawalpindi ( The COW News Digital )In anticipation of a planned protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on August 5, the Rawalpindi district administration has imposed Section 144 across the city. The notification, issued by Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema following a District Intelligence Committee meeting, prohibits all types of public gatherings, rallies, and processions, including the assembly of more than four individuals. The restriction will remain in effect until August 10.
This move comes amid heightened tensions, as PTI leadership has finalized plans for a nationwide protest. The party has called on its Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) and Senators to gather outside Adiala Jail in Islamabad, while Members of Provincial Assemblies (MPAs) are directed to protest within their respective constituencies.
In a related development, the Superintendent of Adiala Jail, Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, has sent an urgent letter to the City Police Officer (CPO) of Rawalpindi, requesting enhanced security measures around the prison. The letter highlights the jail’s extreme sensitivity, given the presence of political detainees and high-profile terror suspects. Currently, the facility holds 7,700 inmates—more than triple its intended capacity of 2,174.
The letter mentions PTI’s protest plan outside Gate No. 5 of Adiala Jail, emphasizing the need for immediate deployment of additional police personnel, surveillance systems, and barricades from Dāhgal Check Post to the jail’s entrance. The jail authorities also urged the Home Department, Inspector General of Prisons, and Regional Police Officer (RPO) to support the request for foolproof security.
Superintendent Anjum emphasized that any gathering outside the prison could escalate into an untoward incident, hence the necessity for strict preventive actions. Authorities have been instructed to stop any unlawful assembly outside the jail premises and ensure the area remains secure.
The imposition of Section 144 and the call for strict security protocols underline the government’s concern over potential unrest. With PTI intensifying its efforts to mobilize public support and protest the incarceration of its founder, the political climate remains highly volatile.
Observers note that the government’s swift actions signal a zero-tolerance stance on any attempts to create disorder. Whether PTI’s protest proceeds peacefully or sparks confrontation will likely define the immediate political narrative in the country.
