The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the excise and taxation department to file comments on a petition challenging its order of sealing liquor shops in Ibrahim Hydery area of Karachi.
The owner of liquor shop, Himesh Kumar, approached the court submitting that he had acquired the license to open wine shop in Ibrahim Hydery 20 years ago after fulfilling all the rules and regulations. He requested the court to restrain police from taking any action against his shop.
Last week, a SHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, had directed the excise and taxation department to seal all the wine shops within the limits of Ibrahim Hydery area with immediate effect. The court had issued these directions while hearing the plea filed by Mst Bushra who moved the court against open sale of liquor in thickly Muslim populated area.
The petitioner stated that as per rules, wine licenses should be issued only for those areas where non-Muslims are in majority, but now the wine shops had been established in Muslim vicinity which was violation of the rules.