The Sindh government on Monday imposed a ban on pillion riding and display of arms in Karachi with immediate effect to avoid any untoward incident on the New Year’s Eve, however, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah later withdrew the ban imposed on pillion riding.

The chief minister announced this while interacting with media persons after reviewing security arrangements at the Sea View ahead of the New Year’s Eve.

He visited the police reporting centre at Sea View and directed DIG Sharjeel Kharal and SSP Pir Mohammad Shah not to stop people from enjoying new year night.

Earlier in the evening, Sindh Home Secretary Abdul Kabeer Kazi had issued a notification calling for a ban on pillion riding from the “evening of December 31, 2018, till the morning of January 1, 2019”. However, the chief minister ordered the home secretary to withdraw the notification.

The action was reportedly taken on the recommendation of DIG South. “A large number of youngsters from different parts of the city throng to Seaview, which creates traffic jam and inconveniences for the residents of the area,” he had said.

The DIG South had requested the provincial government to impose Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) “against pillion riding, carrying and display of arms, and aerial firing to safeguard the precious lives of the citizens and maintain the law and order situation” in the metropolis.

On Sunday, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed the divisional administration and police to keep the Seaview area open for the public on New Year’s Eve so that visitors can enjoy themselves without any hassle.

He said the people of this city had every right to enjoy the New Near’s night in a decent way and cultured manner.

However, he had also directed the authorities to make strict security arrangements on the occasion so that nobody could carry weapons, use narcotics, resort to ‘one-wheeling’ or riding motorbike without silencer and create problems for other visitors.