Talal Chaudhry defends section 144 as critical anti-terror measure

WEB DESK: Minister of State for Interior & Narcotics Talal Chaudhry, asserted on Tuesday that the country would soon win the war against terrorism, mirroring its success in 2013. In a detailed security briefing, he defended the imposition of Section 144 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as a critical measure for public safety, warning of strict action against violators.

He expressed concern over a surge in terrorist incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, noting that militants often target large gatherings and use VPNs to hide their locations. Chaudhry linked a recent Islamabad court bombing to networks in Afghanistan and reaffirmed the government’s nationwide resolve to eliminate terrorism. He also stressed that, under judicial order, official resources must not be misused for political purposes. Chaudhry’s security comments followed his appearance before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a separate matter.

He and successful candidate Bilal Chaudhry are facing a case for alleged violations of the election code of conduct. Talal Chaudhry apologized to the ECP for missing the first hearing, explaining he had appeared the next day but his name was not listed. After reviewing their written replies, the commission, headed by the Chief Election Commissioner, granted both exemption from personal appearance at the next hearing and ordered the immediate issuance of Bilal Badar’s victory notification. The hearing was adjourned, with arguments scheduled for a future date.