LAHORE: Mobiles phone networks would be suspended in Lahore on Jan 25 and 26, 2013 as a part of the security measures taken on the occasion of 12th Rabiul Awwal, DawnNews reported.

The Lahore police have requested the Punjab government to suspend mobile networks from 8am to 8pm on Friday, Jan 25th, 2013 to avoid any untoward incident on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH).

SP Security Ghulam Qaiserani sent a written request to the provincial government, asking to suspend the mobile networks in the city on Friday.

Moreover, Section 144 of the Criminal Code was also imposed on the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) procession’s route in Lahore, where pillion riding, one-wheeling, riding motorcycles without a silencer would be prohibited. Entry of heavy vehicles into the procession has also been banned.

Section 144 was also imposed in Rawalpindi and Peshawar in order to maintain security in the city during the 12th Rabiul Awwal celebrations.

Under the Section 144, pillion riding, use and display of weapons and use of any kind of fireworks have been banned on Jan 25 and 26, 2013 in Rawalpindi.

People have also been prohibited from standing on or going to the rooftops of the building along the route of the Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH)  procession in Rawalpindi, according to DCO Saqib Zafar.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik speaking to media persons said that the provincial governments had sent requests to the federal government for the suspension of mobile phone services in other major cities of the country including Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Attock and Rawalpindi, adding that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority was contacted in this regards.