SHC orders alcohol shops shutdown for one month

KARACHI: Sindh High Court has ordered the government to close all liquor shops across Sindh province for one month to formulate a proper mechanism regarding the sale of alcohol.

The high court while hearing a petition ordered shutdown of the liquor shops till the mechanism devised.

Chief Justice when asked Advocate General Sindh about the mechanism regulating liquor sales. The Advocate General replied that only the minority people can purchase liquor from the shops. When the bench asked about the mechanism to ensure liquor sales only to minorities and who is responsible for it. The government lawyer said that the provincial excise department has been responsible for it.

How the department knows the quantity of liquor purchased by a customer, the court asked.

The bench remarked that hundreds of thousands liquor bottles being sold only in Karachi’s district south. The court rejected a report submitted by DG Excise Police Sindh calling it incomplete and sought a detailed report into the sale of liquor and issuance of licences to liquor shops.

Until the submission of the report liquor shops across Sindh will remain shut, the court ordered.

The court directed the authorities to formulate a proper mechanism to channelize the sale and licensing of alcohol in the province and submit a detailed report.

 

The court had recalled licences of wine shops in Sindh last year and had ordered authorities to issue fresh licences after detailed scrutiny.

The Supreme Court however set aside the high court’s order after it was challenged by owners of liquor shops. The apex court had sent back the case to the high court to decide the matter after hearing out the aggrieved party whose liquor shops had been closed down after the order.