KARACHI: An assurance that the policy of gradual prohibition in Sind enunciated by Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah in 1937 had not been abandoned, was given by Pir Ilahi Bux, Excise Minister, in the Sind Assembly today [March 23] when the demand of Rs.745,000 under the head “excise” was passed.

Shaikh Abdul Majid who moved a Rs.100 cut motion to discuss the “Excise” policy of Government refused to withdraw it saying that the Minister-in-Charge had not stated what steps he proposed to take to reduce to the minimum the consumption of intoxicants in the province.

Replying to opposition criticisms, the Premier Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah said that the Income from the sale of liquor had increased because the prices had gone up and that the population in large cities had more than doubled. Pir Ilahi Bux announced that Government had decided to prohibit the use of ganja within a few years. To begin with they had decided to reduce the number of ganja shops.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Karachi,] Sanmukh Sing Yogi, who described himself as a spiritual healer and a world traveller and his brother Apar Sindh were convicted on a charge of conspiracy, forgery and cheating.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020