Ban on pillion riding: Court issues notices to govt officials

NGO alleges that the ban was a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court issued notice to the Sindh chief secretary, home and law secretaries on Wednesday on a petition seeking justification for the ban on motorcycle pillion riding, which was ordered after the bomb blasts at Abbas Town.

The Sindh home department on March 4 had enforced the ban on pillion riding after the blast killed nearly 50 people. The United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan challenged the restriction, claiming that two million residents of Karachi would suffer the most - both in terms of fares and time.

Referring to the Abbas Town blasts, the petitioner pointed out the police suspect the attacks were carried out with an explosives-laden four-wheeler

“To hush up its inabilities, the government has enforced a ban on pillion riding which is equal to committing economic genocide in a city which already lacks better transportation facility,” the petitioner claimed in his application.

Taking up the plea, the SHC bench issued notice to the chief secretary, law and home secretaries to file their comments by the next date of hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2013.