Sindh government bans aerial firing, wheeling on New Year's eve

Notification issued by government states the ban will be in place from evening of December 31 to January 1

Sindh government has placed a ban on aerial firing, motorcycle wheeling on New Year's eve in Karachi according to a notification issued, reported Express News.

The notification issued by the government states the ban will be in place from December 31 to January 1.

A notification issued by the Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez read, “It has been observed that over the years New Year’s Eve is celebrated with great zeal and people resort to aerial firing and perform dangerous stunts on motorcycles, resulting in fatal accidents and casualties.”



It stated that the government is adamant that in order to safeguard the lives of the citizens and to prevent any untoward situation, it is important to prohibit these activities altogether. “The government of Sindh, in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 144 (6) Code of Criminal Procedure hereby imposes a complete ban on aerial firing, one wheeling, racing of motorcycles with and without silencers and car racing throughout the province on the eve of New Year's night,” the notification concluded.

In June, Citizens Against Weapons, a group that actively campaigns against arms in society, wrote a letter to Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, demanding action against home department officials for failing to ban aerial firing.

The letter was sent on June 21, after a 15-year-old boy, Syed Hussain Raza Zaidi, was killed and several others were injured after widespread aerial firing in celebration of Pakistan’s defeat of India in the ICC Champions Trophy, 2017 final.

The city has suffered casualties due to aerial firing before as well. Last New Year’s Eve, six-year-old Subhan died after a stray bullet hit him, while a seven-year-old girl, Afta, was seriously wounded.