19:31:14

Pillion Riding

LETTER TO EDITOR

April 21^st, 2016

Pillion Riding and Target Killing 

The serpent of target killing has risen its deadly head once again killing 7 policemen in Karachi.  The eight killers on four motorbikes made good their escape as usual and probably would never be tracked down like scores of them before.  It is a too well-known phenomenon that 99.9 per cent of all such target killing is done by the killers on a motorbike. There are always two of them riding together, one doing the shooting and the other driving the bike. Since a motorbike is a small, handy and extremely maneuverable vehicle the killers weave their way through the heavy traffic and vanish in the nearby streets/bye lanes easily.  

One just wonders as to why such a simple fact is not being understood by the law enforcing authorities and the Pillion Riding is not banned in cities where required.  I know it would be hard on many and to ease it to some extent children under 12 and the ladies without veils could be exempted from such a ban.  Only two male adults should not be allowed to ride on a motorbike together.  As I said it will cause inconvenience to many and quite an uproar could come about amongst the commuters, but at times one has to take a bitter pill to eradicate the bigger menace. 

For the information of all during the pre-partitioned and even early days of Pakistan ‘doubling’ on a bicycle was an offence and strictly enforced too. None raised any objection to it. So, my dear law enforcing whiz kids, ban the pillion riding and save many a family from becoming a destitute. You ban it anyway on certain religious and other occasions.  Why not do it for good.  Life is much more important than the pillion riding convenience afforded to a few.

Anyone listening?!!! 

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
30 Westridge 1
Rawalpindi 46000
Pakistan
E.mail: [email protected]