LAHORE: Announcing a reserved verdict, Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza of the Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a ban on the sale of liquor for being illegal, unconstitutional and against the inunctions of Islam.

The judge dismissed the petition for being not maintainable before the court under article 199 of the Constitution.

Justice Mirza had reserved his verdict on the maintainability of the petition the other day after hearing arguments of a lawyer, who was petitioner in person.

Advocate Nadeem Sarwar argued that the consumption of alcohol was not prohibited in Islam but also in Christianity, Hinduism and other religions. He said only non-Muslims citizens of Pakistan and non-Muslims tourists were allowed to consume liquor in the country.

However, he claimed that all the hotels having licences had been selling liquor to all, including Muslims throughout the year.

The lawyer asked the court to order the government to cancel the licences of the respondent hotels for selling liquor to any person.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020