Steps to ban sheesha, ingredients import

Islamabad

The federal government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that the Ministry of Health had forwarded its recommendations to the Ministry of Commerce pertaining to complete ban on import of sheesha (Hukka) and its ingredients.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmad, resumed hearing in a suo moto case against illegal sheesha cafes in the country.

Deputy Attorney General Sohail Mehmood told the court that the Ministry of Health had forwarded its recommendations to the Ministry of Commerce pertaining to complete ban on the import of sheesha and its ingredients. 

Likewise, the Health Department of Punjab informed the Supreme Court that 177 cases had been registered pertaining to sheesha smoking after the imposition of Section 144 of CrPc on use of sheesha/Hukka in open places like hotels, parks, cafes and clubs.

 In pursuance of the court's earlier order, the report was submitted by Deputy Secretary Technical of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department of the Punjab Government 

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali on November 5, 2015, while hearing the case had directed all the provincial governments to launch a massive crackdown against shisha cafes and submit a comprehensive report regarding measures taken for the prevention of shisha smoking.

The Punjab Healthcare report further claimed that effective awareness campaign regarding harmful effects of sheesha smoking on health was being carried out through different mediums. It stated that Punjab probation of Sheesha Smoking Bill was in process of legislation and before the said Bill was sent to the cabinet, a summary was forwarded to the Home Department for its recommendations.

The department also endorsed the recommendations of the Home Department, and the summary had routed through the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department for adding necessary amendments to the said Bill. 

It was submitted that the draft bill had been placed before the standing committee of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab for its consideration which would be discussed in the next meeting.

Meanwhile, law officer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assured the court for legislation of complete ban on sheesha smoking adding that the provincial assembly had passed the bill for the prevention of sheesha smoking and now only rules were being framed in this regard.

The court however, observed that the steps of governments for prevention of tobacco and Sheesha were inadequate. 

Meanwhile, the court directed the federal government, provincial governments and respective inspector generals of police to submit their progress report and adjourned further hearing for four weeks.