The Sindh government has extended Section 144 restrictions across the province for an additional one month [1].
This extension maintains strict control over public movement and assembly in a region experiencing heightened volatility. The measure is intended to prevent further civil unrest and ensure the stability of law and order throughout the province, including in the major hub of Karachi.
The Home Department issued the notification to continue the ban on various public activities. These restrictions include prohibitions on protests, rallies, and public gatherings. The order also forbids the display of weapons, wall chalking, and sit-ins [1, 2].
Authorities implemented these measures following recent clashes that occurred outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi [2]. The government said the extension is necessary to preserve the peace and prevent a recurrence of such violence.
Section 144 is a colonial-era law that allows the government to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in a public space. By extending this order, the provincial administration effectively limits the ability of political parties and civil society groups to organize legal demonstrations.
The notification applies to the entire province of Sindh [1, 2]. Officials have not specified a date for a review of these restrictions, though the current extension lasts for one month [1].
“The Sindh government has extended Section 144 restrictions across the province for an additional one month.”
The continued use of Section 144 indicates a low threshold for stability in Sindh, where the government prioritizes security over the right to assembly. By citing clashes at a diplomatic mission, the administration justifies a broad provincial ban, suggesting that localized volatility in Karachi is viewed as a systemic risk to the wider region's law and order.
