SHC dismisses plea seeking decriminalisation of carrying up to 10g of hashish

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday dismissed a petition filed by a citizen, seeking the decriminalisation of carrying up to 10 grams of hashish (chars) on person. SHC bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that what kind of a petition have you brought to the court while addressing the petitioner.

"Do you want everyone to start smoking chars?" Justice Mazhar asked petitioner Ghulam Asghar Saen. To this, the petitioner responded saying that he was just a "poor man" who had filed the petition in the "public interest".

"Smoking hashish is allowed in multiple countries," the petitioner told the court.

"If you want to smoke hash then go to those countries. It is not allowed here," responded Justice Mazhar. He also asked why such petitions are brought to the court.

"It will increase the country's income and revenue," the petitioner said at the judge's questioning.

"We do not want such revenue, there are legitimate ways to increase income," responded the judge before dismissing the plea.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020