KARACHI: A bill to ban the manufacture, promotion and sale of gutka, manipuri was introduced in the Sindh Assembly on Tuesday in an attempt to control the availability of these harmful substances.
The bill ‘The Sindh Prohibition of Manufacture, Promotion and sale of Gutka and Mainpuri bill, 2017’ was introduced by Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) leader Rubina Saadat Qaimkhani during Tuesday’s session.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P)’s Dewan Chand Chawla, in his speech, also talked about fake medicines being easily available in the market. He drew attention to the fact that people are being robbed in the name of antibiotics made by dubious pharmaceutical companies.
If the aforementioned bill is passed by the house, the manufacture and sale of gutka and Manipuri would be completely banned in the province and anyone who violates the law would be imprisoned for up to seven years or fined up to Rs100,000, or both.