Despite the ban on gutka and mainpuri, which is backed by legislation of the Sindh Assembly, both items, infamous for causing oral cancer, are being sold in multiple parts of Karachi, allegedly under the protection of the police.
The Manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Gutka and Manpuri Bill of 2019, which received the governor’s approval in January of 2020, was passed to ban the two types of chewing tobacco common in the port city. At the heart of the bill was the realisation that gutka and mainpuri were contributing significantly to the rise in oral cancer in Karachi and hence a ban was the only reasonable solution. To make sure the embargo was taken seriously, the bill envisioned punishments of up to three years as well as a fine of Rs200,000 for those who would violate it.
However, it seems that the assembly’s vision has been disregarded by those responsible for implementing the law. An on-ground survey carried out by The Express Tribune shows that both gutka and mainpuri were being sold with impunity in various areas of Karachi like Maripur, Ramswami, Bolton Market, Garden, and Kala Pul. It had been repackaged under various names such as Aadab, JM, Z-21, Safina, Pan Parag, and Baba 101. The price ranges between Rs10 to Rs150 per pack.
A vendor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told us that he was able to sell chewing tobacco without any fear of reprisal because of police protection. “I paid them [police] Rs100,000 last week so they do not bother me for another week or so,” the vendor informed.
When pointed out that the illegal substances he was selling were the reason behind many deaths due to cancer, the vendor laughed. “Gutka and manpuri generate a livelihood for me, why would I stop selling them?” he retorted, adding that if the chewing tobaccos were so bad for health the police would not encourage their sales by taking bribes.
It is this blatant disregard for the law by vendors and the police alike which worries Dr Qaiser Sajjad, the secretary general of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA). “The 2019 bill and the campaign around it compelled the government to take the threat posed by gutka and mainpuri seriously. However, I see daily that the bill is yet to be implemented,” Dr Sajjad regretted.
“Apart from the police, the border security forces have also failed to implement the law, as various forms of chewing tobacco continue to be smuggled from India,” he added .
Dr Sajjad implored the provincial government to establish its writ and enforce the law “or risk losing Karachi’s youth to this menace.”
When asked if the government planned on waking up to the blatant disregard for the 2019 bill, Mukesh Kumar, the provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Excise and Taxation, replied: “The police and rangers in Sindh have done a good job at curbing the sale of gutka and mainpuri and busted many gangs involved in its illegal sale.”
Upon being told that the situation on the ground was drastically different, Kumar changed tack and said that some individuals were selling in some areas “but the government was aware of the issue and would implement the law in letter and spirit.”
The Express Tribune also contacted the police chiefs of Sindh and Karachi, IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon and AIG Javed Alam Odho respectively, to inquire about the allegations levelled against the police vis-a-vis gutka and mainpuri sales, but did not hear back from them.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2023.
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