Drone cameras banned in Karachi for seven days under Section 144

The city administration in Karachi has banned the flying of all kinds of camera drones in the city under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for at least seven days as part of security measures ahead of the visit of an Iranian delegation led by President Ebrahim Raisi.

The ban has been imposed at the request of the police and will remain in effect till April 28, as per an official statement.

Commissioner Karachi Division, Syed Hassan Naqvi, notified the ban citing a letter from the additional inspector general of Police (AIGP) that says “there are serious threats to vital installations by the anti-state elements/hostile agencies in the wake of recent attacks on foreigners.”

At least three terrorists on Saturday targeted foreign nationals in Karachi’s Landhi area. The act of terror left two attackers and a private security guard dead.

In the wake of an attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, the Karachi commissioner on March 31 imposed a ban on the use of drone cameras for two months in District South of the port city citing “threats to vital installations, and Chinese Consulate”.

It must be noted that the Sindh government has also declared a public holiday on April 23 (Tuesday) in the Karachi division to “avoid inconvenience to the general public” as foreign dignitaries, including the Iranian president, are visiting Pakistan.

The Foreign Office said that the Iranian president would undertake an official visit to Pakistan from April 22 (Monday) to April 24 (Wednesday).

“The Iranian president will be accompanied by his spouse and a high-level delegation comprising the foreign minister and other members of the cabinet, senior officials as well as a large business delegation,” the FO said.

“He will also visit Lahore and Karachi and meet with the provincial leadership,” the FO statement added.