Punjab

Shisha ban: Police chief summoned over restaurant raids

Petitioners say police action unlawful, uncalled for.

March 25, 2011

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has summoned Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Aslam Tareen on April 4 in a petition challenging a police raid at two restaurants and stopping them from serving shisha.

Petitioners Danial Arif and Muhammad Arif Saleem, through their counsel Muhammad Ahmed Pansota, submitted that on March 17, 2011, a police team led by the Liberty police SHO raided their restaurants (Sheikhoo’s Café at MM Alam Road owned by Danial Arif, and Café Life at Gaddafi Stadium owned by Arif Saleem) and seized two shishas from Arif’s restaurant and four from Saleem’s.

The petitioners said the police told them that they were not allowed to serve shishas. However, they said, the police team failed to produce anything in writing. “When asked about an official notification they said they had CCPO’s orders to raid all restaurants and cafes in their jurisdiction and enforce the ban on shisha,” the petitioners said.

Petitioners’ counsel said that his clients owned restaurants throughout the province and had been serving shisha there without any objection from the government officials. He said his clients were not involved in any criminal activity and that the police raids at their restaurants were without lawful authority. He suggested that the action was meant to blackmail his clients into closing their businesses.

He said his clients were reputed businessmen and were aware of rules and regulations regarding their businesses. They were protected by Article 18 of the Constitution that guaranteed every citizen a right to conduct lawful trade or business without any illegal and unlawful interference.

The police action, Pansota said, had also damaged the petitioners’ reputation and resulted in a loss of business.

He requested the court to declare the police raids at the restaurants illegal.

Pansota also prayed that the court issue directions for registration of criminal cases against the police officials responsible for the raids.

Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain summoned the CCPO to appear on April 4 and adjourned the hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th_, 2011.

COMMENTS (4)

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply This is absolutely justified. I also own a Cafe in Lahore and I know alot of other people who own a cafe. The point is that where were all these restrictions when these cafes were being put up after investing heavy amounts of money. Secondly, this is no way of imposing a ban by undertaking surprise Police raid. The procedure should be to inform the Cafe owners first in writing and if the Shisha is still being served then they should arrange the arrest warrants against the owner of that Cafe. This is no way of coming in as a surprise with a police squad and the media and start harassing the guests present at that Cafe by taking their interviews. God-forbid it isn't a Kotha at a Heera Mandi where illegal sex or drugs are being sold. Now coming to the idea of a Shisha ban, I guess there are alot of other things that need to be banned before banning Shisha. A 12 years old kid can go and buy a cigarette from a Khokha but that has never been looked into and every second person in Lahore has an access to a bootlegger but even they are not being caught. Shisha has been a part of the Egyptian and other Middle Eastern country's culture since hundreds of years and they have never come up with any of its harmful effect. Its basic science, the water absorbs all the anti-oxidants in it and the only harmful effect that might be in smoking a Shisha would be from the coals being used to light it up. On average, each of the Shisha Cafes in the porch areas of Lahore are paying almost 2 Lac rupee in salaries so with an average employment of 30 people each. There would roughly be 30 such cafes being operated in Lahore which makes an employment of 30 x 30 = 900 people each being paid an average Rs. 9000 so that makes up a total of 900 x 9000 = Rs. 81 lacs as salaries. In Economics terms, this means that 81 lacs is being transferred from the rich to the poor every month just via these Shisha Cafes. Proving my point further, by assuming an average family consisting of 5 members so 5 x 900 = 4500 people are being fed under this employment. So basically if Shisha gets banned, 900 people will be officially unemployed and 4500 people will stay un-fed until they find another job! Furthermore, what other entertainment have our Government provided us with apart from meeting our friends at Restaurants and Cafes? NONE! These cafes are the life-blood of tourism in Lahore because alot of foreigners visit them for entertainment purposes. I strongly object such a ban and it may be justified only if the more important issues have been solved first!

Faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Probably he is only summoned because he did not show any one written notification that shisha is banned.

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Alick | 13 years ago | Reply there is no ban on shisha in Pakistan. Alcohol is ban for ordinary Pakistanis otherwise it is served in all highlevel meetings. Charas is ban for those who have not access to this....... hypocricy is at its peak in Pakistan

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply Well if he has been summoned for doing his duty, enforcing the SHISHA BAN then the I believe there is a serious problem with our judicial system.

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