Red Zone sealed by placing containers to thwart protest sit-in
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LAHORE: (Suno News) Red Zone in Islamabad has been sealed by placing containers ahead of a protest sit-in against heavy electricity bills and inflation while police conducted raids targeting the activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) across the country.

To stop protests, meetings and rallies in Islamabad, all the roads leading to Rawalpindi have been blocked by placing containers at Faizabad, while containers have also been placed at Chandni Chowk and other points on the Murree Road.

Spokesperson of Jamaat-e-Islami says that there will definitely be a sit-in against heavy electricity bills and inflation and the caravans are moving towards Islamabad.

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On the other hand, PTI has announced a protest for the release of PTI founder and other arrested workers and against inflation.

The administration says that in view of the protest, Metro Bus Service has been halted from IJP to Pak Secretariat in Islamabad. The bus service has been restored in Rawalpindi and between Faizabad to Sadar.

Meanwhile, the imposition of Section 144 across Punjab was challenged in the Lahore High Court. A petition was filed in the court on behalf of Azhar Siddique Advocate in which Punjab Government, Home Secretary Punjab and Deputy Commissioner were made respondents.

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The petitioner said that the imposition of Section 144 in Punjab was done on political grounds. Section 144 was imposed to stop the peaceful protest of a political party, he added.

It has been requested in the petition that the court should declare the notification of imposition of Section 144 null and void and the enforcement of Section 144 be suspended until the final decision of the petition.

It should be noted that on July 25, the Punjab Home Department imposed Section 144 for three days across the province on the grounds of terrorism threats.

Under Section 144, a ban has been imposed on public gatherings, rallies, sit-ins and protests across Punjab.

According to the notification, the ban will be applicable from Friday to Sunday to maintain peace, protect human lives and property.

The notification said that public gatherings can be easy targets by terrorists, and Section 144 has been imposed across the province in public interest.

Meanwhile, the PTI is holding demonstrations in various cities across the country, including several spots in Lahore, outside the Islamabad Press Club, many locations in Karachi including Clifton and Haideri as well as Quetta’s Metropolitan Corporation Office.

In Lahore, police executed raids at more than 60 locations, detaining 110 individuals affiliated with PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami. Notable among the raids was the house of JI Deputy Emir Liaquat Baloch.