Pillion riding banned in Karachi, other districts due to security reasons

KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department Monday issued a notification banning pillion riding across the province on September 28, 29 and 30 (18th, 19th and 20th Safar), on account of Hazrat Imam Hussain's (RA) chehlum.

Per the statement, the ban has been imposed as on the recommendations of Sindh IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar and Pakistan Rangers (Sindh), who raised concerns over "miscreants" attacking religious activities, such as chehlum majalis and processions, being conducted across the province.

Taking the recommendations into account, the government has restricted pillion riding in different districts of Sindh under the following schedule.

The notification suggests that pillion riding will remain banned in all districts of Karachi, including South, Keamari, East, Central and West, on September 28 and 29.

In Hyderabad district, pillion riding will be banned in Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro and Thatta on both the dates, and on September 29 in Matiari and Sujawal.

Similarly, the same course will be followed in Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Ghotki, while in Khairpur, the ban will be imposed only on September 27, and in Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar and Larkana on September 29.

Meanwhile, women, children, senior citizens, journalists, Law Enforcement Agencies personnel in uniform and employees of other essential services will be exempt from the ban.

The notification authorises the SHOs of the concerned police stations to “register complaints under the Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code in writing for the violation of Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code…”.

“The government of Sindh is satisfied that in order to maintain law and order situation and to avoid ant untoward incident/mishap during the chehlum activities, it is necessary to take immediate measure,” read the notification.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, addressing a press conference earlier in the day, had said mobile phone services will be blocked in some areas on account of the chehlum, while it can be suspended in further places on the request of provincial governments and district administrations.