Anti-Pillion Laws And Human Rights

Pakistani human rights activist shot dead in Karachi
Sabeen Mahmud killed after hosting a seminar on the disappearance of political activists in Baluchistan province
April 24, 2015 5:53PM ET
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/4/24/pakistani-human-rights-activist-shot-dead-in-karachi.html

Gunmen shot dead a Pakistani human rights activist on Friday after she hosted a talk on the politics of Baluchistan province, where security forces are fighting a separatist insurgency, police and associates said.

Sabeen Mahmud was leaving her Karachi bookstore and cafe, The Second Floor — which also holds exhibitions and talks — when gunman attacked her in her car. Her mother, who was with her, was wounded, police said.

"Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot her. She was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead," senior police official Tariq Dharejo said, adding police were investigating the killing.

Mahmud had just hosted a seminar called "Unsilencing Baluchistan," focusing on the disappearance of political activists in the southwestern province. The talk was originally due to be held early this month at a university in Lahore but authorities blocked it, media reported at the time.

You note that two gunmen on a motorcycle were the killers.
You may have noticed some articles coming from Asia recently about anti-pillion laws, laws forbidding two people riding of a motorcycle; the pillion being the extension of the seat behind the operator's seat upon which a rider may sit.

I thought it was for safety reasons.

However, the laws were designed to prevent violence and riots, because the motorcycle is actually like the get-away car in American gangster films: the operator drives and the passengers shoot or do whatever mischief they are free to do, or just pop off the seat and join a riot that is a-building.

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