Unlawful offerings: Two eateries sealed for serving sheesha

The official confiscate 19 hookahs, 10 packs of coal, foil and a large quantity of buckets filled with tobaccos

ISLAMABAD:

The capital’s administration on Saturday sealed two restaurants in upscale sectors of the city for providing sheehsa to its customers.

Acting Additional Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Waqas Rashid along with his team raided Pizza Party in Sector F-7/4 and the Violet Lounge in G-6/4, where staffers were found serving sheesha.

The administration had imposed a ban on serving sheesha under the Prohibition of Smoking and Prevention of Non Smoker’s Health Ordinance 2002.

The official confiscated 19 hookahs, ten packs of coal, foil and a large quantity of buckets filled with different flavoured tobaccos.

Both restaurants were sealed and action taken against the owners under sections 8, 9 and 10 of the law.

The official underscored that selling sheesha filled with tobacco is illegal.

Sheesha smoking is significantly more harmful than cigarettes due to higher intake of carcinogens , according to the World Health Organisation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2015.