Staff Reporter Over 10,000 cases were registered during action against those selling gutka, mainpuri and other prohibited items during 2019 in three regions of the Sindh province. The report was submitted with the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday showing compliance of the court orders from three regions including Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. It said that overall 10194 cases were registered against violating the high court ban on selling gutka, mainpuri and other tobacco-related hazardous items. “Overall 5507 cases are still pending with the courts in the three regions,” it said. “3,560 cases were registered in Karachi during 2019 followed by arrest of 12,335 people involved in the act,” the report said adding that 2,810 cases are still pending with the trial courts. “A total of 6546 violators were booked under the 6254 cases registered in Hyderabad,” it said adding that currently 2356 cases were still pending in the region against the violators. The report in its breakdown of cases in Sukkur, stated that 380 cases were registered in the third largest city of the province against those violating the high court ban. “341 cases are still pending with the courts,” it said adding that overall 427 accused were nabbed under the cases. Earlier in the day, the government informed the top provincial court that legislation regarding the ban on Gutka and other harmful substances has become law. The counsel of the government of Sindh submitted a report to the effect in the court. A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar heard a petition against making and selling gutka and other harmful substances.
