Over 10,000 cases registered for selling gutka in Sindh province, SHC told

KARACHI: Over 10,000 cases were registered during action against those selling gutka, mainpuri and other prohibited items during 2019 in three regions of the Sindh province, ARY NEWS reported.

The report was submitted with the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday showing compliance of the court orders from three regions including Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

It said that overall 10194 cases were registered against violating the high court ban on selling gutka, mainpuri and other tobacco-related hazardous items. “Overall 5507 cases are still pending with the courts in the three regions,” it said.

“3560 cases were registered in Karachi during 2019 followed by arrest of 12335 people involved in the act,” the report said adding that 2810 cases are still pending with the trial courts.

“A total of 6546 violators were booked under the 6254 cases registered in Hyderabad,” it said adding that currently 2356 cases were still pending in the region against the violators.

The report in its breakdown of cases in Sukkur, stated that 380 cases were registered in the third largest city of the province against those violating the high court ban. “341 cases are still pending with the courts,” it said adding that overall 427 accused were nabbed under the cases.

Earlier in the day, the government informed the top provincial court that legislation regarding the ban on Gutka and other harmful substances has become law.

The counsel of the government of Sindh submitted a report to the effect in the court.

A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar heard a petition against making and selling gutka and other harmful substances.

The bench while ordering a continued crackdown against the sale and use of Gutka and other harmful substances, said that after enactment of the law the complaints on the matter should go to a trial court.

All cases will now be filed under the new law, the bench ruled. A petition with regard to lack of enforcement of the law could be filed in the high court, the justice said.