Cellular services to be suspended on Muharram 10

Pillion riding also banned across the province from Tuesday night

KARACHI: The provincial government imposed a ban on pillion riding in various parts of Sindh, including Karachi, from late Tuesday night till Ashura (Muharram 10) in view of the security situation while the federal government has also given approval for suspending the cellular services on Ashura in at least eight districts of the province.

According to a notification issued by the provincial home department, the ban on pillion riding would be implemented from Tuesday night after midnight.

Code of conduct & responsibilities during Muharram

The ban has been imposed in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Khairpur, Sukkur and Shikarpur on the recommendation of district police while the citizens have also been barred from recording controversial audio and visuals under Section 144. Women, children, senior citizens, law enforcers and journalists will be exempted from the ban.

A senior police official of Karachi said that there are serious threats of terrorism by different militant outfits as there are intelligence reports about terrorists planning to carry out major terror activities, including bomb blasts, during Muharram, particularly in Karachi.

Muharram preparations: City administration seeks cellular service suspension

Mobile services will also be suspended on Muharram 10 in eight districts of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Shikarpur, Larkana, Khairpur and Qamber-Shahdadkot, read a statement issued by the Sindh Chief Minister House. It added that the provincial government has sought approval for the suspension of mobile services for three days from Muharram 8 till Muharram 10. However, the federal government has given permission for mobile phone services to be suspended only on Ashura.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2015.