ISLAMABAD: During the Senate's session on Friday, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik defending his earlier decision to ban motorcycles from the roads in Karachi (for today) said that the parliament had failed, DawnNews reported.

Senator Raza Rabbani objecting to the federal minister's claim said the parliament had not failed and that the parliament could not give a stamp of approval on weak legislature.

Malik stood by his action saying he respected the decision of the Sindh High Court but added that the move to ban motorcycles off the roads was right as motorcycles provided an easy mode of transportation to terrorists and were used in most terrorist activities.

Senator Malik said the decision to ban motorcycles was taken in view of information received that a motorcycle would be used as a bomb on the first day of Muharram in Karachi. He also said that motorcycles were used in 438 bomb attacks across the country during the current year whereas 96 motorcycles were destroyed in bomb attacks in Karachi alone.

Malik further said he would appeal in the Supreme Court against the Sindh High Court's decision against the ban imposed on motorcycles in Karachi on the first day of Muharram.

Senator Babar Awan also criticised the decision to order motorcycles off the roads and termed the move as illegal.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) staged a walk-out from the senate session over the situation in Karachi and the party's Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said the government had lost its writ in Karachi and that it was not serious about improving the situation in the city.

Speaking to media representatives later, the interior minister reiterated his stance, saying the order was issued in the light of reports from intelligence agencies.

He added that the order was issued after consultations with and support from the allies.

Malik lamented that he was harshly criticised for the order to keep motorcycles off the roads in Karachi on the first day of Muharram.