KARACHI: The Sindh provincial government on Saturday promulgated an ordinance prohibiting wall chalking and graffiti. Violators of the law may now end up serving up to six months in prison.

Sindh Law Minister Mehmood Yusuf Mandviwalla said he expects the promulgation of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Ordinance, 2013, signed by Governor Sindh Ishratul Ibad, will put a stop to the menace of unauthorised wall-chalking in the province and prevent aesthetics of the cities from being ruined by unwanted graffiti.

The provincial law minister said that the new ordinance prohibits defacement of property and makes the offence punishable with an imprisonment for a term of 6 months or fine or both.

He said the caretaker government, under the guidance of caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Zahid Kurban Alavi, is reviewing those laws that are urgently required to be promulgated.

Graffiti is widely used in several parts of the province, and its excessive use has become an inexpensive mode of marketing by low-tier businesses.

Mandviwalla said the new law also introduces the establishment of an Anti Property-Defacement Task Force, which will also include members from the civil society as well as members of the electronic and print media.

The Task Force will assess the scope and nature of defacement and suggest ways to augment enforcement capability, survey the efforts of other jurisdictions to combat graffiti and propose a comprehensive strategy, he added.