Pillion riding: Over 220 men held for violating ban

KARACHI: Around 220 people in the South zone were detained for violating the ban on pillion riding while 30 were arrested in the East zone and more than 50 from the West zone.

On Monday, the Sindh home department issued a notification banning pillion riding for the next seven days, due to the rising number of target killings. Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza ordered the Sindh police to ensure strict implementation of Section-144, which includes a ban on display of weapons, aerial firing, wall chalking and pillion riding.

Women, senior citizens, disabled persons, children under 12 years of age, journalists and personnel of law-enforcement agencies would be exempt.

Most of the men arrested on Monday claimed that they were on their way to work when they were arrested. They said that they were not aware of the ban, which was announced late on Sunday. Some of these men were released by the courts after they submitted sureties. In Orangi, the town police booked around 24 people for violating the ban. All of them were taken into custody and later cases were registered against them. Orangi Town SP Khurram Waris said that these people would be produced in front of magistrate today (Tuesday).

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2011.