The Sindh government on Thursday informed the Sindh High Court (SHC) that the authorities had shut down all wine shops across the province. Assistant Advocate General Ghulam Mustafa Mahesar told the court that following its order, the provincial police chief had issued directives to the DIGs, SSPs and SHOs of the police stations across the province to ensure implementation of the order.
While submitting verbally, the provincial law officer told the judges that two cops will be posted at a wine shop till the legal formalities for cancellation of its licence were completed. Earlier on the day, the religious figures from Hindu, Christian and Sikh communities told the SHC that it was a false that their religions allow consumption of wine on special occasions.
SHC Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah questioned the authorities concerned under what law wine shops were allowed to operate throughout year if no religion permitted its consumption. The bench observed that liquor licences were issued in violation of the laws, directing the provincial authorities to ensure closure of all the wine shops across the province. Earlier, the excise and taxation department had submitted that there were 120 liquor shops across the province out of which 59 were in Karachi including 11 shops which were being operated in DHA and Clifton areas.
The court was hearing the identical petitions seeking cancellation of the licences of the liquor shops being operated in Muslim-majority areas. The petitioners submitted that licences to run wine shops were issued only for those areas where non-Muslim population was in a majority, yet wine shops were being established in areas inhabited by Muslims in violation of relevant rules. The open sale of liquor would cause public nuisance as the majority of the people living in the locality are Muslims, the petitioner added.
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