SHC suspends ban on motorcycling in Karachi
16 November, 2012
KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Mushir Alam on Thursday dismissed Interior Minister Rehman Malik's orders regarding a ban on motorcycle riding in Karachi.
The chief justice also ordered the Sindh IG, advocate general (AG) and home secretary to appear before the court today (Friday).
The court orders came after the chief justice received an application against Malik's announcement of banning motorcycle riding. The Sindh Hight Court Bar Association president had submitted the application.
Earlier, citing security reasons, the government had not only banned motorcycle riding but also decided to suspend cellular services in Karachi and Quetta today.
The interior minister told the media that motorcycles would not be allowed to come on roads from 6am to 7pm today. He added that no one would be exempt from this ban.
Malik said his ministry had received information that motorcycles would be used in terrorist attacks at public places.
"The decision to keep the bikers off the road has come on the heels of intelligence reports that terrorists are hatching plans to carry out attacks using motorcycles," Malik had said.
"They can come on motorbikes, open indiscriminate fire and hurl hand grenades on the public," he said.
The interior minister said that brandishing weapons would also be strictly prohibited in Karachi.
Malik also said that mobile phone services would also remain suspended in Karachi and Quetta from 10am to 6pm today.
Moreover, the minister added, shopkeepers in the two cities have also been directed to do business from 10am to 5pm today. "No market in both the cities will be allowed to open before 10am and after 5pm," Malik said. Rejecting the ban, different trade bodies had raised voice against any such move, saying that businesses were already suffering.
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