Sindh authorities asked to file comments on plea against pillion riding ban.

KARACHI -- A Sindh High Court two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar has directed the provincial authorities to file comments on a petition against a modified notification about the pillion riding ban till June 8.

A journalist again approached the SHC and submitted that in his earlier petition against the complete ban on pillion riding, the bench had issued directions on May 14 and thereafter a partial modification was made allowing family members residing in same household (ladies, kids, elderly), but restrictions on pillion riding for media persons and personnel of law enforcement agencies were still in place.

The petitioner, Umair Anjum, again challenged the restrictions and asked for some standard operating procedures in this regard.

The additional advocate general waived the notice and the bench asked him to file comments and come prepared at the next hearing.

Earlier, the petitioner had submitted that the provincial government had put a complete ban on pillion riding also barring journalists and others and contended that it was illegal.

He argued that the journalist community was facing severe hardships to perform their professional duties due to the ban.

Package for lawyers

The same bench in another petition has directed the provincial secretaries of law and finance to inform it by June 1 about the proposal regarding compensation package for deserving lawyers.

The court also sought comments from the Sindh chief secretary about efforts made so far on such proposal after it was informed that the same had also been sent to the chief secretary for approval.

The Sindh Bar Council, Sindh High Court Bar Association and some lawyers have moved the SHC seeking grant from the federal and the provincial authorities for lawyers facing financial difficulties due to Covid-19 pandemic.

At the outset...