For convenience of commuters: SHC seeks home department’s reply on pillion riding ban

Lawyers say more makes little difference to overall law and order situation.

KARACHI: The Sindh home department had imposed an indefinite ban on pillion riding in the city, which is torn by frequent targeted killings and terrorism, seven months ago. Many commuters, however, believe that the ban was unjustifiable as it has helped little towards establishing peace.

Two former legislators belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami’s Karachi chapter have taken up the matter with the Sindh High Court.

The petitioners, Nasrullah Khan Shaji and Muhammad Younus Barai, said that the provincial government had banned pillion riding in the city back in January this year, which was an injustice with the people and a violation of their fundamental human rights.

“The ban is being extended without any justification due to which nearly six million people suffer everyday because they cannot afford to travel in taxies in the absence of better transportation system in the city,” argued their lawyer, Syed Abdul Waheed.

He claimed that the peace situation was getting worse as targeted killings, snatching and lifting of motor vehicles, cell phones and terrorist activities continue even in the presence of a ban, therefore, it should be lifted immediately to give relief to the masses. He pleaded to the court to order the home secretary to immediately withdraw the ban.

After the preliminary hearing, Justice Ghulam Sarwar Korai, who headed the bench, issued notice to the home secretary for August 16 to file its reply by the next date.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2013.