Pillion riding banned in Karachi in wake of Maulana Adil's assassination

Banned imposed for a month; comes in light of AIG Karachi's request citing 'rise in criminal activities in port city'

KARACHI:

A day after prominent religious scholar Maulana Adil Khan's assassination, the Sindh government imposed a ban on pillion riding on motorbikes in Karachi for a month.

A notification issued by the provincial home department maintained that the action has been taken amid rise in criminal activities in the port city.

The decision from the provincial authorities came on the request of Additional Inspector General Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon, who conveyed his fears in a letter to the home department on October 10 saying miscreants and disgruntled elements may disturb the peace and create law and order problems in Karachi by carrying out targeted killings.

The communique maintained that incidents such as lobbing of hand grenades and targeted killings of law enforcement personnel as well as religious scholars have been reported in the city. “Therefore, keeping in view, he [IGP] has requested to impose a ban on the Pillion Riding for a period of one month with immediate effect,” read the notification.

Shaykh-ul-Hadeeth Maulana Adil Khan, along with his driver, was assassinated a day earlier in Shah Faisal Colony when unidentified assailants, on a motorbike, opened fire on his car. The slain scholar was associated with Jamia Farooqia, a university of Islamic studies.

The home department’s notification further added that the ban shall not apply to women, children below the age of 12 years, senior citizens, personnel of law enforcement agencies, security agencies in uniform, employees of the essential services and journalists, subject to showing their press or service cards.