LAHORE, Jan 12: Though enforced leniently on Saturday, the ban on pillion riding created a great deal of inconvenience, especially for the families which use motorcycle as mode of transport, many of them wondering how terrorists not caring for their own lives could be stopped through such steps.

Home Secretary Khusro Pervaiz Khan nevertheless justified the ban by saying it was one of the measures being adopted to counter the menace of terrorism. The people should cooperate with the government for their own security, he said.

Motorcycle is the only transport for millions of families in Punjab. There are over one million registered motorcycles only in Lahore, according to official figures collected in May last year.

A majority of the motorcyclists in Lahore voluntarily followed the ban imposed on Friday. But, still many pillion riders could be spotted without police stopping them.

A lot many, whom this reporter talked to, deplored the ban saying their family members usually travelling with them to the work places or for shopping had to face a great deal of inconvenience because of it.

“My brother who usually accompanies me to our CD shop on the Hall Road had to travel by wagon which caused a delay in starting our business,” Muhammad Siddique said.

An employee of the Punjab Civil Secretariat said on the condition of anonymity that his son used to drop him at office every morning on his motorcycle but on Saturday he had to hire a rickshaw, which was costly. “I can’t afford to travel by this costly transport daily, he said.

A junior police officer, who also requested anonymity, wondered as to how the suicide bombers could be stopped by banning pillion riding, saying this measure was adopted in the past in view of the sectarian target killings in which the attackers would use motorbikes to strike and escape.

“In the present situation, the attacker does not plan escape, and therefore does not need a motorcycle,” the officer said.

The home secretary, however, said motorcycle was the most easily available transport and could be used for dropping a terrorist near the target if not for helping him escape after the strike.

The ban had been imposed to also minimize the chance of target killing with gun, he said.

He explained that the ban was initially imposed for one month.

Meanwhile, the notification issued by the home department on Friday stated the ban was being imposed due to an increase in the incidence of crime and terrorism being committed by motorcycle riders.

“Such activities, apart from vitiating the peaceful environment of the province, had inculcated a sense of insecurity among general public,” the order said.