KARACHI:  Cellular services, which were suspended in various cities across Pakistan as a security measure for Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH), were restored Friday evening.

Officials said services would gradually be restored in all cities facing suspension.

On the orders of Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had suspended mobile phone services in 60 cities earlier during the day.

Cities facing the suspension included Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Multan, Muzzaffargarh, Bhakkar, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Khairpur, Larkana and Naushero Feroz.

The government had also imposed Section 144 in several cities in order to maintain security, including prohibitions on use and display of weapons, pillion riding, one-wheeling, and riding motorcycles without silencers.