Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rahman promulgated on Saturday the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, which will ease enforcement of Section 144 in emergency situations. In the recent days, imposition of Section 144 under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) caused legal complications for the government, and it was not possible practically to refer every case to the cabinet immediately in emergency situations. Now, promulgation of the amended ordinance has eased the enforcement of Section 144 in emergency situations, according to official sources. Under the amended ordinance, the deputy commissioner or any other officer, especially empowered by the Punjab government, would be authorised to issue orders under Section 144 of CrPC in urgent cases. Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman also promulgated the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2023. The provisions of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority Act, 2018 did not cater for immediate termination of politically appointed persons to the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) and market committees.