ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Friday that mobile phone services have been blocked on the requests of the provinces, DawnNews reported.

Malik said that pillion riding has been banned in the entire country for the two days of Ashura and moreover he advised people to avoid traveling on motorcycles and use public transport instead till Muharram 10.

He said that newspaper hawkers will be allowed to deliver newspapers from 6am- 10am and they are obliged to carry their motorcycle registration papers, their identity card and their union card along with them.

Malik challenged Hakeemullah Mehsud that “if he was alive he should come out and explain his rationale behind killing innocent Muslims.”

He said that all decisions of the interior ministry were taken after consultation with the prime minister and other pertinent ministers.

He said that the army has been kept on standby for security of different cities including Karachi.

Malik said that he was not terrorising the people, he was just stating facts.

“During the Developing-8 summit, the terrorists carried out explosions in five cities of the country in their efforts to prove that Pakistan is not a safe place,” Malik added.