Islamabad, Oct 17 (IANS): Mobile phone services will be suspended Saturday in Karachi as Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto prepares to address a rally in the city, media reported Friday.

The Sindh government has approved a request of the police requesting for the suspension of mobile phone services in the city, Dawn online reported.

The police have also requested for the suspension of mobile phone services in other parts of Sindh as well which the government is yet to approve.

Karachi's traffic system is also likely to suffer seriously when the PPP stages the rally for which it has hired 3,000 city buses while police authorities have banned movement of heavy vehicles, 'advising' transporters to take alternative routes.

The PPP’s plan to reinvigorate the party through the rally is being seen as a major response to a series of public gatherings and sit-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which recently staged a successful political show in Karachi, as well as those held by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

The rally is scheduled to be held near the mausoleum of Mohammad Ali Jinnah.