Section 144 imposed in Dera Ismail Khan amid security concerns

2026-03-09 - 06:23

PESHAWAR: The district administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan has imposed Section 144 in view of the prevailing law and order situation, restricting movement on several roads and in sensitive areas, according to an official notification on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan said the restrictions would remain in force from 6am to 6pm, during which the movement of passenger vehicles, cargo transport and motorcycles would be completely prohibited in designated areas. According to the notification, Dera-Tank Road from Tariq Shaheed to Bhugowal will remain closed, while several other roads, including Kulachi-Hathala Road, Kot Attal Road and Garah Abdullah Road will also remain shut to traffic. Authorities said a number of link roads, including Tikwarah-Hathala Road, Pota Badh, Kanori-Garah Mohabbat, Chehkan village to Darbari and the Pota–Kot Isa Khan link road, will remain closed during the restriction period. The administration has also ordered the closure of Pota Hathala Bazaar from 6am to 6pm. However, the notification said emergency services, including ambulances, fire brigade vehicles, and law enforcement agencies would be exempt from the restrictions. Additionally, in case of emergencies, limited movement may be allowed with the permission of the police or security forces. Citizens have been advised to carry identification documents and comply with instructions issued by security personnel. Officials said the measures were aimed at maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety in the district. Section 144 had previously been imposed in several parts of DI Khan on Feb 28. According to a notification issued by the deputy commissioner, the restrictions were imposed to ensure public safety and prevent any untoward incident. The added security measures followed the launch of an intensive operation, dubbed Ghazab lil-Haq, by Pakistani forces against Afghan Taliban fighters, citing “unprovoked aggression”. The latest clashes came after Pakistan targeted terrorist camps and hideouts in the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan.