Good news for Karachiites: Car lifting charges abolished from iftar to sehri

KARACHI: The city's traffic police has announced to abolish lifting charges for illegal parking outside shopping malls between iftar and sehri timings ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Ahmed Nawaz, the deputy inspector general of police for traffic, told Geo News that the vehicles and motorcycles lifted after iftar will be returned without penalty.

The decision was announced on Friday as crowds in Karachi's shopping centres intensify due to the festive occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. 

The senior police official, however, warned citizens against parking their vehicles in zones that affect traffic flow.

"In the last 10 days of the fasting month, additional personnel have been deployed in markets and highways," the DIG traffic said.

He added that traffic police officers have been stopped from issuing unnecessary challans.

Nawaz said that officials have only been instructed to issue challan for violation of one way and wrong way.

As the holy month of Ramadan approaches its end, crowds in shopping malls and markets have intensified with Eid-ul-Fitr just a few days away.

The government, earlier this week, announced holidays for the festive occasion with offices operating five working days a week to observe three public holidays from April 10 to 12 and those working for six days to get four public holidays from April 10 to 13.

The Met Office on Monday predicted that the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr would fall on April 10 as the Shawwal moon was expected to be sighted on April 9.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said the crescent would be born on April 8 at 11:21pm and it would be aged between 19 and 20 hours the next day around Maghrib prayer.

The crescent could be spotted for over 50 minutes around the sundown, it said.