SHC orders closure of wine shops in Sindh

Author: Online

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered closure of all wine shops all over Sindh province.

The court ordered that all the liquor shops be closed, adding that a mechanism be worked out within 30 days and presented before the court.

The case for ban on wine shops came up for hearing before SHC Thursday.

SHC chief justice remarked, “Wine shops be regulated. As many as 120 wine shops are operating in Sindh and more than half liquor shops are functioning in South Karachi.”

He further said, “Where money is in abundance, wine is sold out in larger quantity therein. 7000 crates were sold out in district South Karachi. How the poor Hindu of Thar will purchase wine when water is not available to him.”

The counsel for petitioner told the court that the Excise Department has started selling liquor on identity cards.

SHC chief justice remarked that this way any Muslim can buy as much wine as he likes on the identity card of any Hindu or Christian. “No system is there. Anyone can purchase wine and drink it whenever he likes,” he added.

Advocate General Sindh told the court, “Such a system should be in place that a specific quantity of wine could be given to the minorities from a specific shop.”

The court has imposed ban on wine unless the mechanism is devised.