IHC seeks response from district administration on appeal against ban on shisha cafes

ISLAMABAD, Nov 04 (APP): An Islamabad High Court (IHC) division bench on Wednesday issued notices to the district administration and sought its response on an intra-court appeal challenging a single bench decision imposing a ban on shisha cafes in the federal capital.
The owners of shisha cafes requested the court to suspend the single bench’s decision; however, the bench observed that it would decide the matter after hearing the administration.
A division bench comprising Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas and Justice Ayaz Shaukat heard the appeal.
During the hearing, Justice Minhas observed that the High Court had issued an earlier judgment before the single bench’s decision, which had also directed the authorities to frame rules and imposed a ban on shisha cafes. He questioned how no-objection certificates (NOCs) had subsequently been issued.
Counsel for the appellants, Adil Aziz Qazi, submitted that the NOCs had been issued by the administration and that the applicants had invested millions of rupees after receiving them. He requested the court to allow them to continue operating under those NOCs.
Justice Minhas observed that notices were being issued to ascertain how the NOCs had been granted in the absence of rules governing shisha cafes. He further noted that the relevant rules had still not been framed despite the matter being brought before the court through an appeal.
The bench issued notices to the district administration and adjourned further proceedings.