In court: Comments sought on legislation regarding wine shops’ operation

Bench was hearing identical petitions against sale of liquor in Karachi and rest of province

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Friday the advocate-general to file details and comments on behalf of the provincial government on legislation regarding operation of wine shops across the province.

A two-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, sought the reply by December 16. The bench was hearing identical petitions against the sale of liquor in the localities of Karachi and the rest of the province, where majority of the population is Muslim, and their relocation to areas where non-Muslims live.

Case history

On October 27 this year, the same bench had directed the Sindh IG and the director-general (DG) of the excise department to shut down all liquor shops across the province.

The court ordered the IG and excise DG to implement court orders issued on October 18, revoking all the licences and closing all liquor shops. However, the Supreme Court set aside on November 23 this order as the owners of eight of the wine shops challenged the same.

Remanding back the matter, the apex court had directed the high court to hear the same afresh and pass judgement quickly. During Friday's proceedings, Ramesh Kumar, an MNA belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz, filed an application seeking permission to become an intervener in the proceedings. Meanwhile, some representatives of religious minorities insisted that consumption of liquor was prohibited in their religions as well. But, they alleged, liquor was being sold in the name of such minorities, which was unfair.

The judges directed the provincial advocate-general to file a detailed reply on behalf of the government on legislation regarding operation of the liquor shops and other points raised by the representatives of the religious minorities.

The matter will be taken up on December 16.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2016.