KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has ordered the director general of the Excise and Taxation Department to seal liquor shops throughout the province.
Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, who headed a two-member bench, directed the provincial police chief to ensue that all the shops operating in violation of the Hudood Ordinance 1979 are closed.
The court gave the Sindh government 30 days to come up with a mechanism in consultation with the stakeholders, including members of non-Muslim communities and wine shop owners, to ensure that a practical, transparent and viable mechanism is put forward, so that only the licensed wine shops will sell wine and liquor to non-Muslims locals and foreigners in limited quantities on occasion of their religious ceremonies.
The Supreme Court had in November 2016 suspended the high court’s order banning the sale of liquor across the province and sent the matter back to the high court for its disposal after hearing all the stakeholders.
The judges further directed Advocate General Barrister Zamir Ghumro to submit the said draft mechanism in the court in the above mentioned timeline before it is put up for implementation. DG excise to submit a proper record of wine/liquor sales maintained and made available to the public, ruled the court.
