Some 262 petitions were filed by the eateries seeking exemption from Ehtram-e-Ramdan Ordinance, 1981 which were rejected by the SHC.
Karachi (Pakistan Point News – 7th May, 2019) The Sindh High Court (SHC) has rejected the petition to open eateries during the day time in Ramzan.
Some 262 petitions were filed by the eateries seeking exemption from Ehtram-e-Ramdan Ordinance, 1981 which were rejected by the SHC.
The Hyderabad Circuit Bench comprising Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqui underlined that the ordinance's section 5 had restricted exemptions to only certain places.
Such places include a canteen or a kitchen in a hospital; a restaurant, a canteen or a stall in the premises of a railway station, airport, seaport, train, aircraft or bus stand; and a kitchen or a canteen in a Primary school.
"Since in all the petitions, the places mentioned do not fall within exemption given under section 5 of the Ordinance, therefore, all the petitions are dismissed," the SHC's order read.
Furthermore, the Hyderabad Circuit Bench directed all the District and Session Judges in the province as well as all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that no restaurant, hotel, stall or tea shop operated during the hours of fasting.
The petitioners had maintained that their eateries were located along the bus stops.
However, the SHC clarified that the ordinance only allowed the eateries to operate within the premises of the bus stands.
