The district administration of Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), banning public gatherings, rallies, processions, and pillion riding on motorcycles until 11 November, according to local media reports on Wednesday, 14 October. The order, effective immediately, comes days after the federal government placed the province under Governor's Rule.

What the Order Restricts

Under the order, the authorities have banned displaying, carrying, and possessing weapons in public spaces. The erection or use of tents, temporary structures, and other obstructions on public roads, highways, and public places has also been prohibited, as such activities could impede traffic movement.

Pillion riding on motorcycles — a measure commonly deployed to prevent targeted attacks and coordinated movement — has been barred across Dera Ismail Khan. Any activity likely to suspend essential services, endanger public safety, or disturb public peace falls within the scope of the ban.

Why the Order Was Issued

The restrictions followed a formal request by Dera Ismail Khan's District Police Officer (DPO), who cited the prevailing law and order situation. Authorities flagged that public gatherings, processions, and marches could hinder people's movement, disrupt essential services, and destabilise public peace and tranquillity, local daily The Express Tribune reported.

The order sits within a broader crackdown: on 11 October, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari approved emergency measures on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's cabinet. The move suspended the provincial government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — the party founded by former Prime Minister Imran Khan — and placed KP under Governor's Rule, with federal forces deployed across the province. The decision came as PTI was reportedly preparing large-scale protests demanding Imran Khan's release from custody, according to Pakistani daily Dawn.

PTI's Sharp Condemnation

PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari condemned the Governor's Rule as a 'coup disguised as emergency,' denouncing what he described as the arrest of 'the only mandated Chief Minister Sohail Afridi' and party leader Junaid Akbar. 'This coup disguised as emergency or Governor rule has squashed the only little bit of democracy left in Pakistan. Further instability and collateral damage to follow. The regime must be feeling very proud,' Bukhari wrote on X.

PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan also condemned the federal government's action, calling it a 'political mistake and undemocratic.' Khan acknowledged there was no disagreement on combating terrorism but argued the fight against terrorism cannot be used 'as justification to suppress the voice of the people, achieve political objectives and restrict the constitutional authority of the province.' In a post on X, he stated: 'We strongly condemn the imposition of emergency in the province in the strongest terms and completely reject this action. This is an extremely alarming and grave political mistake and an undemocratic measure — the people will never accept such actions against their rights.'

Broader Context and What Comes Next

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has long been Pakistan's most volatile province, bordering Afghanistan and historically afflicted by militant activity. The imposition of Governor's Rule and the accompanying local restrictions represent an extraordinary assertion of central authority over a province governed by the opposition. Notably, this is the first time in recent years that the federal government has simultaneously suspended a provincial government and deployed forces while a major political party was mobilising for street protests.

With the Section 144 order in Dera Ismail Khan valid through 11 November and PTI vowing to resist, the political standoff between the PTI-led opposition and Pakistan's federal establishment is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.