Elections 2024: section 144 imposed in Punjab amidst security concerns

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Tuesday imposed section 144 across province due to security concerns amidst on-going election campaigns, and will remain effective till February 12.

According to the notification issued by the Home Department, the imposition of the section is attributed to political gatherings being perceived as “soft targets for any desperate act by terrorists.”

Under section 144 no person can carry or display firearms, even with legal license, in Punjab.

Read more: Over 30,000 police personnel to oversee the 2024 polls in Lahore

Earlier on Monday, the local government in Bannu imposed Section 144 effective till February 19. Under section 144, the public is barred from openly carrying firearms and gathering in public without prior permission from authorities.

Earlier this month, at least two people were injured in Peshawar when independent candidate was targeted on January 20. Similarly, three people lost their lives when unknown assailants opened fire targeting an independent candidate in North Waziristan.

Similarly in Bannu, an explosion on January 8 near a police van injured twenty and martyred five policemen. Two policemen were martyred on January 9 when a polio vaccination team was targeted in a shootout.