Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the local administration to immediately close down all sheesha cafes in the federal capital and submit a report in this regard.

The court directed the Islamabad administration to immediately take action against the sheesha cafes operating in the capital and submit a progress report to the IHC.

The police and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) along with the Islamabad administration have mobilized their resources to crackdown on all such places operating as sheesha cafes.

It is pertinent to mention here that crackdowns have been led by the courts previously against this menace and in 2016, Justice Gulzar Ahmed headed an apex court bench on the matter and expressed displeasure over the sale and availability of sheesha and tobacco smoking items despite a ban from the court.

The court replied that actions must be louder than words and that sought a report over the actions which have been taken in this regard.

The apex court also inquired the advocate generals from all provincial governments about the implementation of the government’s earlier orders of a ban on sheesha smoking at public places.