Supreme Court annuls SHC order to revoke wine shops licences

ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court bench on Wednesday set aside the Sindh High Court (SHC) order about cancellation of licences of about 120 wine shops across the province.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Saqib Nisar heard the case on a petition against the high court order.

The bench accepting the appeals of the petitioners sent the case back to the SHC and said that hearing of the case to take place on a daily basis from next week.

The lawyer of the wine shops, Shahid Hamid, argued before the bench that Sindh High Court decided the case without listening to the parties. The petition was against four wine shops but the court using suo moto powers ordered closure of 120 wine shops and 23 whole-sellers.

Justice Saqib Nisar observed that the high court issued orders without hearing all parties.

“This order should not be taken to mean that the Supreme Court has granted permission for the sale of alcohol,” Justice Nisar said during the hearing.

“We are not concerned with whether wine retail is permitted or not, we are concerned with how lawful the matter is,” the bench observed.