Quetta: The Government of Balochistan has imposed Section 144 in Naseerabad and Sibi divisions for the next one and a half months in view of heavy monsoon rains and potential flood threats.
According to a notification issued by the Home Department, no individual or group will be allowed to cut, damage, weaken, or interfere with canals, drainage routes, embankments, or flood protection structures. The use of heavy machinery for excavation or construction along canal banks or embankments without district administration approval has also been prohibited.
Authorities have warned of possible floodwater inflows from the Indus River into Usta Muhammad, Sohbatpur, and Jaffarabad districts — areas severely affected during the 2010 and 2022 floods. Emergency measures are being taken to protect human lives, property, and critical agricultural infrastructure.
The notification further declared that setting up makeshift shops, cattle sheds, or other encroachments along canals and embankments will be illegal. Blocking culverts, bridges, siphons, or engaging in swimming and boating in canals or streams has also been banned. Interference in official flood-prevention operations will result in strict action.
Violators will face legal consequences under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Balochistan Canal and Drainage Ordinance 1980, with arrests permitted without warrant. Police, Levies, and the Irrigation Department have been directed to ensure immediate enforcement.
The district administrations have also been instructed to identify weak spots along canals and embankments, prepare daily reports, and coordinate with the Irrigation Department to ensure timely preventive measures.
