Karachi pillion riding ban revoked

KARACHI: The ban on pillion riding in Karachi was revoked late Sunday, hours after a notification from the Sindh government had been issued for its imposition.

Sindh had imposed the ban in Karachi for 30 days, citing reports that targeted killings in the city may rise and further deteriorate law and order.

According to the home department, a re-assessment of the city's security situation was carried out, following which it was decided the ban should be revoked.

The earlier notification released by the home department, said: "The additional IG Karachi has conveyed that there are some reports that miscreants and disgruntled elements may disturb the peace and create law and order problem in Karachi."

The home department said that miscreants may carry out target killings and the ban was also imposed as "very recently a few incidents of hand grenade lobbing and targeted killings of personnel of law enforcing and religious scholars have been reported in the city".

The home department said that the ban will not be applicable to women, children below the age of 12 years, senior citizens, personnel of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs)/security agencies in uniform, employees of essential services and journalists subject to showing their press card/service card. 

Religious scholar Maulana Adil shot dead

The ban was imposed a day after prominent religious scholar Maulana Adil Khan and his driver were murdered in Karachi.

Adil Khan was the son of late Saleemullah Khan, the former president of Wifaq-ul-Madaris Al-Arabia and is the principal of Jamia Farooqi.

According to police, the scholar was sitting in a Toyota Vigo, with the vehicle parked outside Shama shopping centre when suspects on motorcycles came up to him and shot him along with Mohammad Maqsood, his driver.

Police said that a third person, Umair, was also accompanying Maulana Adil and survived the incident. He had gone inside the shopping centre to buy mithai (sweet meats).