District administration is contemplating action against hotels, offering sheesha hubble-bubble at their premises. Dr Ehtasham Anwar, Assistant Commissioner, Islamabad Rural, told Business Recorder on Saturday.
The administration had already warned hotel owners through media that sheesha also comes under the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance, 2002. However, he said, the administration has not issued any warning to the hotel owners for banning it. Under the Ordinance, he said, the offering of sheesha is prohibited in the public places and before offering it, one should know that it is according to the law or not.
Dr Ehtasham said that the government wanted to ban offering of sheesha to the young boys and girls in the restaurants. As a first step, the administration wants to create awareness among the providers and consumers about its consequences, which would be followed by a strict action.
It has been observed that some restaurants are offering sheesha to the young girls and boys and the number of smokers is increasing day by day. However, many people believe that sheesha is neither prohibited by law nor injurious to health but they should refer to Section 5 of Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance 2002, he added.