Gutka, mainpuri crackdowns: Police sub-inspectors given special powers

KARACHI: Sindh government has awarded special powers to police sub-inspectors to carry out raids and arrests without seeking search warrants and magisterial permission across the province, ARY News reported on Monday.

The directives were issued by Sindh home department under a new law introduced to take stern action against persons involved in manufacturing and selling recreational drugs including gutka, mainpuri and other hazardous substances.

Following the enactment of the new law, police sub-inspectors will carry out actions against manufacturing and selling of gutka, mainpuri and other substances injurious to health.

A sub-inspector could enter into premises of any building on a tip-off, whereas, the persons found involved in manufacturing or trading of such substances will face up to three-year jail term and Rs300,000 fine.

Read: Cancer patient seeks ban on Gutka in petition in Sindh High Court

On March 3, over 10,000 cases had been registered during action against those selling gutka, mainpuri and other prohibited items during 2019 in three regions of the Sindh province.

The report was submitted with the Sindh High Court (SHC), 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.

Read: Govt informs SHC about enactment of law on Gutka ban

“3,560 cases were registered in Karachi during 2019 followed by the arrest of 12,335 people involved in the act,” the report said adding that 2810 cases are still pending with the trial courts.

“A total of 6,546 violators were booked under the 6,254 cases registered in Hyderabad,” it said adding that currently 2,356 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.