Section 144 imposed across Punjab amid rising unrest.

RAWALPINDI -- The interim provincial government enforced Section 144 across Punjab on Tuesday for two days following the rising unrest after the arrest of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The PTI chairman's arrest at the Islamabad High Court triggered countrywide protests, threatens fresh turmoil with multiple cities across Pakistan witnessing demonstrations on his party's call.

The imposition of Section 144 is a response to escalating unrest and a measure to maintain law and order after reports of arson and violent protests from different parts of the province.

A notification was also issued by the interim provincial government for the imposition of Section 144 across the province.

The notification cited the reason for imposing Section 144 as the ongoing protests and rallies following the arrest of 'a political leader', which pose security threats, can disrupt traffic, and cause inconvenience to the public.

'There is also a history of terrorist activities in the rallies/protests, wherein, a number of police officials and civilians embraced shahadat. Hence, in the context of prevailing overall security situation in the wake of recent wave of terrorism and threat alerts, it has been necessary to impose Section 144 of Cr.P.C, 1898 on holding of aall kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sits-in, rallies, processions, demonstrations, jalsas, dharnas, protests, and similar activities across the province of Punjab to overt any untoward...