ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have imposed a month-long ban on public gatherings in five districts of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Sunday, an official notification said, citing security reasons amid protests by a right-wing opposition party in the area.

The restrictions have been imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in KP’s Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Tank and Swabi districts, according to notifications issued by the respective district administrations seen by Arab News. The section grants power to authorities to impose restrictions to prevent threats to public safety, law and order or public peace.

The development takes place as the right-wing Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUI-F) party organized protest demonstrations against the federal government in KP on Sunday. The JUI-F and the center have been at odds with ever since the former criticized the latter for imposing emergency and governor’s rule in the province last month.

Pakistan’s federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in KP last month, citing the provincial administration’s failure to tackle rising militancy. The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party rejected the allegations, describing the move as an illegal one undertaken by the federal government to thwart its anti-government protest march.

“In view of the prevailing law & order situation in the area and the apprehension of public gatherings, processions and marches are likely to obstruct the free movement of general public, disrupt public services and traffic, disturb peace and tranquility, and to maintenance of law and order, and smooth administration, it is necessary to impose ban/restrictions,” an order issued by the deputy commissioner of Lakki Marwat district read.

The deputy commissioner said he was satisfied that there were sufficient grounds to impose restrictions under section 144 to maintain public peace in the district.

The notification banned public rallies, processions, gatherings, pillion riding, displaying weapons, erecting tents or other temporary structures, and any other activity likely to obstruct the movement of people.

Similar orders were issued in the districts of Swabi, Tank, Bajaur and Bannu. In Bajaur, Deputy Commissioner Adnan Farid Afridi imposed a 30-day ban on political gatherings, hate speech against the state and the display of weapons from Nov. 15 until Dec. 13.

Bajaur, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Tank are among 12 KP districts that were placed under a separate federal administrative arrangement by President Asif Ali Zardari, when he imposed emergency and governor’s rule in the province last month.

These 12 districts include eight former tribal districts and four settled ones. A separate Area Development Secretariat was established to oversee their administration and development. Swabi is not among the designated districts.

Dysfunctional KP chief minister was placed under “preventive custody” while other PTI leaders were also arrested after the imposition of emergency. The government handed powers to Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to run the province with an 11-member advisory council.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the JUI-F and the federal government, with leaders from the two sides trading barbs in parliament since weeks. Late last month, Islamabad’s Capital Development Authority issued a notice that directed the removal of a guards’ room set up outside JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman’s residence in the G-6 sector within 15 days, irking the party.

Earlier this month, the National Accountability Bureau summoned Asad Mehmood, Rehman’s son and a former federal minister for communications, for alleged irregularities in over 4,200 appointments at the Pakistan Post during his 2022-23 term in office.

The JUI-F has criticized the federal government and blamed it for launching “character assassination” campaigns against its leaders. The government denies this.