LAHORE: In response to security concerns that have gripped the entire nation as the general elections on February 8 draw near, the Punjab provincial administration has enforced Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) throughout the province.
The most populous province and the center of politics, Punjab, was informed Tuesday night that Section 144 will be implemented, which would completely prohibit the display of weapons and aerial gunfire there.
Furthermore, the announcement stated that following the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) code of conduct for the next elections is also required by the enforced law.
It said there had been concerns of security risks, the possibility of “terrorism,” and fights between candidates while the race is still being campaigned.
The notification from the home department states that Section 144 is in effect until February 12 and that any infringement will result in legal action from the authorities.
It should be mentioned that the Ministry of Interior submitted their summary of force deployment on Tuesday. The ECP has requested that 277,000 army personnel be stationed throughout the nation to provide security and law and order during the impending elections.
With terror-related occurrences in 2023 turning out to be among the worst since 2015, concerns about the security and safety of the nation’s approaching elections are prevalent.
