PESHAWAR: Authorities in Dera Ismail Khan have imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code amid security concerns, restricting movement on several roads and in sensitive areas, according to an official notification issued on Monday.
Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan said the restrictions will remain in effect from 6am to 6pm. During this period, passenger vehicles, cargo transport and motorcycles will not be allowed to operate in designated zones.
The notification stated that the Dera–Tank Road from Tariq Shaheed to Bhugowal will remain closed. Other routes, including Kulachi–Hathala Road, Kot Attal Road and Garah Abdullah Road, will also be shut to traffic.
Several link roads — 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 hours.
Authorities have also ordered the closure of Pota Hathala Bazaar from 6am to 6pm.
Emergency services such as ambulances, fire brigade vehicles and law enforcement agencies will be exempt from the restrictions. Limited movement may also be permitted in urgent situations with approval from police or security officials.
Residents have been advised to carry identification documents and follow the directions of security personnel.
Officials said the measures are intended to maintain law and order and ensure public safety in the district.
Section 144 had earlier been enforced in parts of Dera Ismail Khan on Feb 28 following heightened security concerns.
The additional precautions come after Pakistani forces launched an operation named Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against fighters linked to the Afghan Taliban, citing what authorities described as “unprovoked aggression.”
The recent tensions follow Pakistani strikes targeting militant camps and hideouts in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika.