One-week pillion riding ban imposed in violence-hit Karachi

Karachi, Jan 17(ANI): The Sindh Government has imposed a one-week ban on pillion riding in Karachi.

Capital City Police Officer Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari said the ban would be enforced across the city.

"Initially the ban will be effective for one week... but it will be extended depending on the law and order situation," the Dawn quoted Leghari, as saying.

Earlier, the ban on pillion riding had been imposed during Muharram, and was lifted after the Ashura had passed off peacefully.

The fresh pillion-riding ban has been imposed following Interior Minister Rehman Malik's announcement on Sunday that a "partial curfew" would be imposed in the city to carry out operations against terrorists.

However, confusion marred Malik's announcement about the 'partial curfew' imposition in selected localities of the city, as Sindh Home Department authorities drew a blank over it.

The Interior Minister's latest "solo fire-fighting mission" to Karachi in the wake of a fresh wave of target killings has also left several senior party leaders from Sindh fuming because they were not consulted.

A number of senior legislators from Sindh complained that they were never consulted on matters relating to the political and law and order situation in their province, particularly in Karachi.

"I am an MNA from Karachi, but I do not know what kind of an agreement my party has reached with the MQM," said a Pakistan People's Party (PPP) lawmaker. (ANI)