SC welcomes separate treatment for cannabis, heroin cases

Justice Naqvi says cannabis is a cure for many diseases, strengthens human nerves

ISLAMABAD:

Welcoming the government’s bit to treat cannabis and heroin cases separately, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that cannabis was a cure for many diseases and strengthened human nerves.

A seven-member bench headed by Justice Ijazul ahsan heard a case regarding convictions of drug accused, wherein he ordered the judicial assistants to submit written arguments.

The court said that a Senate committee was enacting legislation on drug offenders. Judicial Assistant Khawaja Harris said that the legislation being enacted by the government would include punishments in accordance with the nature of different drugs.

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah remarked that in the past, the punishment for cannabis and heroin was equal. He welcomed the government’s efforts to treat offenders of both drugs separately.

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Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi said that cannabis was a cure for many diseases, and strengthened human nerves, adding that cannabis was being used as medicine in different countries.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel also welcomed the government’s decision to formulate a policy on cannabis.

Judicial Assistant Aitzaz Ahsan said that, “I want to tell an interesting incident to the court. In 1988, when I was the home minister, [former prime minister] Nawaz Sharif came to Islamabad with thousands of people for [former military ruler] Ziaul Haq's death anniversary. It was reported that buses were stopped at Zero Point. When concerns were shown on security, the IG revealed that buses were being loaded with cannabis”.

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Laughter erupted in the court room when Aitzaz Ahsan narrated the incident.

The Supreme Court later adjourned the case till the last week of January 2022.