Balochistan Bans Public Face Coverings Under Section 144 Order
Balochistan authorities have imposed Section 144 across the province, banning the concealment of faces in public spaces in a sweeping security measure with immediate effect. The order, issued by the provincial administration, prohibits individuals from covering their faces while in public, a restriction clearly aimed at countering identity evasion by militants and criminal actors operating in the region.
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure grants executive magistrates the authority to prohibit specific acts when there is a risk to public peace or safety. The extension of this provision to face coverings represents one of the most expansive applications of the law in recent years in the province, reflecting the gravity of the security situation on the ground.
Balochistan has been experiencing a persistent wave of militant activity, with security forces and civilians increasingly targeted by groups exploiting gaps in identity verification. The face-covering ban is understood to be a direct response to incidents in which attackers concealed their identities in public settings before carrying out strikes.
Civil liberties groups are likely to scrutinise the order, particularly regarding its implications for women who observe purdah and communities with cultural norms around face covering. Authorities have not publicly clarified whether exemptions will apply, raising questions about the scope and enforcement framework of the restriction.
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