The city administration seems in connivance with the influential running illegal Shisha business at the largest animal market of Asia on Superhighway, a hotspot for every single body in the city these days, in clear violation of section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Sheesha is a charming hookah with flavored tobacco. A World Health Organisation report has declared smoking Sheesha 200 times lethal than a cigarette which can simply cause disaster to the health of young citizens who mostly get enticed towards its different flavors like chocolate, peach, lemon and double-apple. Smoking Sheesha is likely to lead youngsters of the city to narcotics and drugs.
Running Sheesha Bar illegally in the animal market established under Malir Cantonment administration, Sadiq, 24, tried to threaten print media persons on Wednesday night.
“Did I not stop you before to write about the bar? It would turn out to be bad for you,” owner of de Lodge Sheesha Bar Sadiq warned the journo who tried to inquire about how they managed to establish the illegal business with extensive advertising in and around the market. In the meanwhile, young men, his workers or partners, started gathering around him.
He told PPI that he had got permission letter of deputy commissioner of the area. Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui said he did not have any knowledge if any such thing existed there.
“It is a grave crime. We have had crackdown against this activity across the city and it is fearlessly being run at the area. The citizens are going there with families to buy animals to fulfill a religious obligation,” he said.
Siddiqui said he would immediately inquire that who had given permission for the illegal activity. This should be noted that the commissioner had already stated this before inauguration of the animal market a couple of weeks back.
Smoking Sheesha at restaurants and public places is banned since March 2012, months after endorsement of Sindh Assembly’s resolution in 2011. ENT surgeon Dr Qaiser Sajjad said smoking Sheesha was far more injurious to lungs as compared to conventional cigarette which had put scores of youth in serious health issues. “Sheesha contains 60 percent tobacco and 40 percent other harmful substances,” he said. The chief executive officer of Malir Cantonment and deputy commissioner Malir did not respond to repeated calls.
