As per new bill: Chewing gutka can get you up to six years in prison

KARACHI: Chewing of gutka (a kind of tobacco) can lead to imprisonment of one to six years in jail, according to a newly proposed bill in the Sindh Assembly on Saturday.

According to the bill, selling and buying of chewing tobacco or gutka at public places should be banned. This includes schools, colleges, hospitals and other places. It proposed fine of Rs500,000 on violators. Sindh MPA and Pakistan People’s Party leader Saeed Ghani said that there is a ban on gutka already but the bill is being proposed as implementation is not carried out.

In October 2016, the Sindh cabinet imposed a ban on sheesha smoking, consumption of gutka and mainpuri. At that time, the government also directed the IGP to ensure the ban is implemented.