Authorities in Bannu have imposed a Bannu pillion riding ban for one week, along with curbs on the open display of weapons and tinted glass in vehicles, as a district anti-polio campaign gets under way amid security concerns.
Deputy Commissioner Bannu Zia ur Rehman Khattak issued the order on Saturday under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure—a public-order power that lets local officials temporarily restrict certain activities. The restrictions took effect on Sunday and remain in force until 7 November. Violators risk action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which covers disobedience of a lawful order by a public servant.
Why the curbs were ordered
Bannu’s district police officer told the administration in an official letter that an anti-polio drive would run in the district from 2 to 5 November. The deputy commissioner’s order said earlier attacks on polio teams and the police assigned to protect them, together with the wider security picture, made precautionary steps necessary.
The Bannu pillion riding ban applies across the district. Showing or exhibiting weapons and using tinted vehicle glass are also forbidden for the same period. Patwaris (land-record keepers) and union council secretaries carrying out official polio campaign duties are exempt from the weapons-display rule so they can perform those tasks.
Polio campaign opens in Bannu
DC Khattak and District Police Officer Shafiullah Gandapur inaugurated the campaign on Sunday and administered polio drops to children. The district administration said health authorities are targeting 228,000 children under the age of five in 57 union councils.
Seven polio cases have been reported in Pakistan this year so far, four of them from Bannu Division. Officials say the division still complicates efforts to stop the virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The World Health Organization has said the area continues to present serious operational and security obstacles to high-quality vaccination work.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Saturday: Deputy Commissioner Zia ur Rehman Khattak issued the Section 144 order covering pillion riding, weapons display and tinted vehicle glass.
- Sunday: The restrictions came into force; the DC and DPO Shafiullah Gandapur opened the anti-polio campaign and gave drops to children.
- 2–5 November: Anti-polio campaign scheduled across Bannu district.
- Until 7 November: The Bannu pillion riding ban and related weapons and tinted-glass curbs remain in effect.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Bannu mein aik haftay ke liye motorcycle par peechhe sawaar (pillion) bina mana hai. Hathyar dikhana aur gaariyon ke tinted glass bhi is dauran band hain. Yeh ehtiyat polio drops ke campaign aur security ke liye ki gayi hai. Bachchon ko drops milengi; aam logon ko in pabandiyon ka khayal rakhna hoga.
