RAWALPINDI — The district administration has enforced a 15-day ban on all public gatherings, rallies, and sit-ins across Rawalpindi, effective immediately. The move comes as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a high-stakes protest outside Adiala Jail today, followed by a major political rally scheduled for April 9.
In an official order issued on Monday, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hassan Waqar Cheema invoked Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), citing “imminent threats” to sensitive installations and public safety.
راولپنڈی: ضلع بھر میں 20 اپریل تک دفعہ 144 نافذ کر دی گئی#ARYNews pic.twitter.com/rjmPFF0OsR
— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) April 7, 2026
Key Highlights
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Duration: Section 144 remains in effect from April 6 to April 20, 2026.
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Banned Activities: Gatherings of five or more people, pillion riding, use of loudspeakers, and the display of any weapons.
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Security Threat: The District Intelligence Committee (DIC) reported that certain elements intend to “disturb the law and order situation” by targeting soft locations and critical infrastructure.
- PTI’s Calendar: Tuesday (Today): Protest outside Adiala Jail against visitation restrictions for Imran Khan.
- Thursday (April 9): A massive rally to mark the four-year anniversary of the 2022 no-confidence motion.
A Strategic Lockdown
The administration’s decision to lock down the city for two weeks appears to be a preemptive strike against PTI’s increasing mobilization. According to the DC’s order, the ban is “essential to ensure the security of the people” after intelligence suggested that disruptive assemblies were being actively organized.
Beyond the ban on people, the order specifically prohibits the carrying of “spikes, laden batons, gulels (slingshots), and petrol bombs,” signaling the state’s concern over potential violent escalations.
CM Afridi Defies the Ban
Despite the legal restrictions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has vowed to proceed with the April 9 rally. Speaking at a press conference at the KP House in Islamabad, Afridi termed the protest a “constitutional right” and confirmed that his convoy would leave Peshawar for Rawalpindi at 11 AM on Thursday.
“The April 9 protest is meant to highlight concerns regarding democratic backsliding, economic decline, and the inhumane treatment of our founder,” Afridi stated. He warned that if the administration denies permission, participants will simply register their protest at the point of obstruction.
CM KP @SohailAfridiISF made it clear that if our convoys are blocked, the jalsa will take place wherever they stop us. Peaceful gathering and protest is a fundamental right and PTI will not let anyone take that right away!pic.twitter.com/6yUD8fl2np
— PTI USA Official (@PTIOfficialUSA) April 6, 2026
The Significance of April 9
For the PTI, April 9 is a date of immense symbolic weight, marking the night in 2022 when Imran Khan became the first Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted via a no-confidence vote. The party frames the upcoming rally as a protest against the “foreign conspiracy” and the subsequent “economic distress” faced by the masses, specifically citing the recent surge in petrol prices to Rs. 458 per liter.
The timing of this showdown is particularly sensitive as it overlaps with ongoing regional diplomacy and the government’s efforts to stabilize the economy. By imposing Section 144, the state has effectively set the stage for another round of political friction in the heart of Rawalpindi.
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