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ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Musheer Alam has suspended the directive of the Ministry of Interior regarding the ban on motorcycle riding in Karachi. The SHC chief justice issued the order suspending the ban on motorcycle riding on an application filed by the Sindh Bar Association on Thursday late night, according to Geo News.
In this regard, the chief justice summoned the Sindh advocate general, interior secretary and Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh at 11:00am today (Friday). Earlier, Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik imposed a ban on motorcycle riding for one day on Friday from (6:00am to 7:00pm) in Karachi and Quetta.
Talking to newsmen after a session at the Interior Ministry on Thursday, he maintained that the motorcycle riding had been banned due to information of terrorism and no one would be exempted from the ban.
Rehman Malik strictly prohibited using vehicles without proper documents during the
Muharram. He stated that non-state elements were hatching conspires to destabilise the country. “But we will foil the conspiracies,” he vowed.
He said that a decision regarding suspension of mobile services in Karachi and Quetta would be taken on Friday.According to sources, shops in Karachi and Quetta have been directed to shut their business after five in the evening. They would remain open from 10am to 5pm. On the other hand, the Karachi Tajir Ittehad has rejected this directive, Geo News reported. It was also reported, quoting sources, that mobile phone services in both the cities would remain suspended from 10 am to 5 pm.
The interior minister said that FC platoons had been directed to remain vigilant in Karachi for maintaining security at Majalis. Rehman Malik also announced a ban on the display of weapons during Muharram. Regarding SIM cards, he said that no SIM cards of any mobile company would be available at any shop from Dec 1.
Malik’s directives shock Karachiites
By M. Waqar Bhatti
KARACHI: Around 1.5 million registered motorcyclists as well as shop owners and traders in Karachi reacted strongly to the directives issued by the Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, whoannounced a ban on riding motorcycles on Friday and the closure of all shops in the evening.
Commenting on Malik’s directives, many Karachiites said that with no cell phones functioning in Karachi, the ban on riding motorcycles and the closure of shops, would make the city wear a deserted look and cause inconvenience and a loss of millions. Citizens sarcastically advised the government to impose curfew in the city during the first 10 days of Muharram so that people could remain confined to their homes.
“Imposing a ban on riding motorcycles is against basic human rights as millions of people use the two-wheelers to get to their workplaces, transport children to schools and carry out other important tasks. This decision by Rehman Malik is simply ridiculous,” Kamran Ahmed, a schoolteacher, said.
He said instead of imposing a ban on riding bikes and closing shops in the evening, the government should have announced a public holiday in Karachi as people would have to use public transport to go to their workplace as well as take children to school. Several other motorcyclists who spoke to The News also condemned the decision, saying instead of stopping terrorists, banning bikes was an easy solution but it would cause a lot of problems for millions of people who use bikes to reach far-flung areas of the city.
They said one day, Rehman Malik would order the closure of all types of vehicles as cars and trucks were also used by the terrorists to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.Several traders and shop owners also condemned the government for ordering the closure of all shops and markets in the city by 5:00pm, saying due to the worst law and order situation in the city, businesses were already suffering in Karachi, and the new orders would further destroy the economy.
“Both the common people and traders would suffer as many people purchase household items, foodstuff and other necessities of life in the evening after work. They would have to face difficulties after this decision,” Riaz Ahmed, a food outlet owner in Saddar, said.
He also suggested that instead of giving “ridiculous” directives, the government should have announced a public holiday whenever it felt that there was a threat to security in the city.Akbar Ali Rana, a Clifton Defence Market Association representative, said this decision would not work, saying traders would not be able to follow the directives due to the poor economic conditions in the city.
“Businesses are already suffering due to the law and order situation in Karachi, and when such directives are given without any consultation, I don’t think anybody would follow them,” he said. Atiq Mir, a traders’ leader in Karachi, termed the closure of all businesses and shops in the city after 5pm as a senseless decision and said this was practically not possible. He said businesses on the route of the Muharram procession could be closed for the safety and protection of people, but giving orders to close businesses in the entire city indicated that the government functionaries had lost their senses.
In this regard, the chief justice summoned the Sindh advocate general, interior secretary and Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh at 11:00am today (Friday). Earlier, Interior Minister Senator Rehman Malik imposed a ban on motorcycle riding for one day on Friday from (6:00am to 7:00pm) in Karachi and Quetta.
Talking to newsmen after a session at the Interior Ministry on Thursday, he maintained that the motorcycle riding had been banned due to information of terrorism and no one would be exempted from the ban.
Rehman Malik strictly prohibited using vehicles without proper documents during the
Muharram. He stated that non-state elements were hatching conspires to destabilise the country. “But we will foil the conspiracies,” he vowed.
He said that a decision regarding suspension of mobile services in Karachi and Quetta would be taken on Friday.According to sources, shops in Karachi and Quetta have been directed to shut their business after five in the evening. They would remain open from 10am to 5pm. On the other hand, the Karachi Tajir Ittehad has rejected this directive, Geo News reported. It was also reported, quoting sources, that mobile phone services in both the cities would remain suspended from 10 am to 5 pm.
The interior minister said that FC platoons had been directed to remain vigilant in Karachi for maintaining security at Majalis. Rehman Malik also announced a ban on the display of weapons during Muharram. Regarding SIM cards, he said that no SIM cards of any mobile company would be available at any shop from Dec 1.
Malik’s directives shock Karachiites
By M. Waqar Bhatti
KARACHI: Around 1.5 million registered motorcyclists as well as shop owners and traders in Karachi reacted strongly to the directives issued by the Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, whoannounced a ban on riding motorcycles on Friday and the closure of all shops in the evening.
Commenting on Malik’s directives, many Karachiites said that with no cell phones functioning in Karachi, the ban on riding motorcycles and the closure of shops, would make the city wear a deserted look and cause inconvenience and a loss of millions. Citizens sarcastically advised the government to impose curfew in the city during the first 10 days of Muharram so that people could remain confined to their homes.
“Imposing a ban on riding motorcycles is against basic human rights as millions of people use the two-wheelers to get to their workplaces, transport children to schools and carry out other important tasks. This decision by Rehman Malik is simply ridiculous,” Kamran Ahmed, a schoolteacher, said.
He said instead of imposing a ban on riding bikes and closing shops in the evening, the government should have announced a public holiday in Karachi as people would have to use public transport to go to their workplace as well as take children to school. Several other motorcyclists who spoke to The News also condemned the decision, saying instead of stopping terrorists, banning bikes was an easy solution but it would cause a lot of problems for millions of people who use bikes to reach far-flung areas of the city.
They said one day, Rehman Malik would order the closure of all types of vehicles as cars and trucks were also used by the terrorists to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan.Several traders and shop owners also condemned the government for ordering the closure of all shops and markets in the city by 5:00pm, saying due to the worst law and order situation in the city, businesses were already suffering in Karachi, and the new orders would further destroy the economy.
“Both the common people and traders would suffer as many people purchase household items, foodstuff and other necessities of life in the evening after work. They would have to face difficulties after this decision,” Riaz Ahmed, a food outlet owner in Saddar, said.
He also suggested that instead of giving “ridiculous” directives, the government should have announced a public holiday whenever it felt that there was a threat to security in the city.Akbar Ali Rana, a Clifton Defence Market Association representative, said this decision would not work, saying traders would not be able to follow the directives due to the poor economic conditions in the city.
“Businesses are already suffering due to the law and order situation in Karachi, and when such directives are given without any consultation, I don’t think anybody would follow them,” he said. Atiq Mir, a traders’ leader in Karachi, termed the closure of all businesses and shops in the city after 5pm as a senseless decision and said this was practically not possible. He said businesses on the route of the Muharram procession could be closed for the safety and protection of people, but giving orders to close businesses in the entire city indicated that the government functionaries had lost their senses.
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