'Decent people smoke hashish': Citizen moves SHC for permission to use drug

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday threw out a writ petition seeking directives for the authorities concerned to decriminalise consumption of up to 10 grams of charas.

Headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, a two-judge bench of the high court dismissed the petition filed by Ghulam Asghar as being non-maintainable after a preliminary hearing.

During the hearing, the judge expressed displeasure over the litigant for moving such a petition.

“Do you want all people to start consuming hashish in the country,” Justice Mazhar remarked, asking the petitioner to tell how much fine be imposed on him for filing the petition. At this, the litigant said he was a poor man and brought public interest litigation to the court.

Asghar demanded that the government be directed to abolish a fine on possession of 10-gram hashish.

“Police vex shareef log [decent people] who consume charas,” he said, adding several countries around the globe permit hashish consumption.

“Move to those countries, if you want to smoke [the drug],” Justice Mazhar retorted, questioning why did he bring this petition to the court.

“Decriminalising hashish will increase the country’s revenue,” the litigant insisted.

“We don’t want such revenue. There are other legal means to increase revenue,” the SHC judge said.