Punjab cracks down before Eid with fresh ban on 'public nuisance' activities

LAHORE: The Punjab government has imposed restrictions under Section 144 across the province from May 27 to June 2 ahead of Eidul Azha, banning a range of activities it says are harmful to public health and likely to disturb public peace.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab Home Department on May 19, the restrictions were introduced in view of recurring practices during Eidul Azha that authorities said create sanitation, safety and traffic problems.

Activities prohibited across Punjab

The notification said people often sit along roadsides during Eidul Azha to roast the heads and feet of sacrificial animals, causing smoke and foul odour. It also said that entrails of sacrificial animals are sometimes discarded on roadsides or in drains, leading to unhygienic conditions and blockage of the sewerage system.

The Home Department further said that some citizens swim or bathe in canals, ponds, lakes, river banks and distributaries during the Eid holidays, putting their lives at risk. It also noted that cattle sellers establish unauthorised sale points for sacrificial animals within populated areas, creating traffic obstructions and contributing to the spread of disease.

The department said these activities are not only injurious to public health and safety, but also cause nuisance and resentment among the general public, which are likely to cause disturbance in public peace and tranquility

Scope and duration of the order

Under the order, the government has prohibited the burning of the heads and feet of sacrificial animals in public places, swimming or bathing in rivers, lakes and dams, disposing of offal or entrails in manholes, drainage channels or canals, and the sale or purchase of sacrificial animals anywhere other than officially notified cattle markets.

The notification stated that the Punjab Home secretary imposed the restrictions under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The order will remain in force from May 27 to June 2 throughout the province.

Eid date mentioned in notification

The notification also noted that Eidul Azha will be celebrated in Pakistan on May 27.

The move comes as the provincial administration steps up arrangements linked to the religious festival, with a focus on sanitation, public safety and regulation of cattle trading activity in urban areas.

The restrictions specifically target practices identified by the Home Department as recurring concerns during Eidul Azha, particularly those affecting cleanliness, sewerage, movement of traffic and safety at public water bodies.

By limiting animal sales to notified cattle markets and banning the public disposal of animal waste, the government has sought to contain the public health risks highlighted in the notification. The order also aims to prevent unsafe recreational activity at canals, rivers and other water bodies during the holiday period.