Karachi crackdown on gutka sales to continue

Court remarked that this was a serious issue and a penalty was not enough

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the local administration to continue its crackdown against the sale of addictive substances including gutka, mawa and mainpuri. The court also directed the Sindh government to make laws to check its manufacture and sale. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heading a two-member bench, remarked that if the court continued to receive complaints of gutka sale, they would summon the Karachi Additional Inspector-General (AIG).



The court also remarked that this was a serious issue and a penalty was not enough. He advised to enhance the punishments. Clubbing other cases regarding sale and manufacture of gutka, the court adjourned the hearing till Nov 13.

KE overbilling case

The SHC gave two weeks time to K-Electric to submit its reply in a case pertaining to excessive billing through digital meters. A two-member bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi heard the plea.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in its reply to the court acknowledged that the plaintiff's complaint about over-billing has been received, and KE was asked for a clarification. KE said that they had remedied the plaintiff's complaint, said the NEPRA's response.



The petitioner maintained that KE's digital meters imported through Chinese company are controlled from the headquarters through a sim and using mobile phones and remote controls, the units are increased. He claimed that a few months back, KE had over-billed by Rs77 billion and requested that the investigation be handed over to NAB.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2018.