Court orders officials to impose shisha ban

Islamabad: The Pakistani Supreme Court on Thursday ordered all provincial governments in the country to ensure implementation of an existing ban on hookah (shisha) cafes in the country.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali passed the order while hearing a case related to unlawful functioning of shisha cafes.

The court directed all provincial governments to take action to strictly implement anti-smoking laws and submit a comprehensive report in the court.

The Sindh government informed the court that the ban on shisha smoking at public places was being implemented in the province since 2011.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province told the bench that the shisha ban has been enforced across the province.

The Punjab government informed the court that bill to ban shisha smoking in public places was under consideration at the provincial assembly and, after its passage, it would be implemented.

The bench observed that the bill had been lying with the Punjab Assembly for over a year.

According to published expert assessment, tobacco kills nearly six million people each year in the world, of which more than 600,000 are non-smokers dying from passive smoking.

In Pakistan, an estimated 40 per cent of males and nine per cent females are smokers and the number is said to be increasing.

Smoking is banned in Pakistan in offices, restaurants, health-care and educational facilities and on public transport.