Sindh Cabinet Approves Tougher Gutka Laws, Plans Major Truck Terminal, Says Sharjeel Memon

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the provincial cabinet had approved a 22-point agenda, including a decision to introduce stricter laws against the manufacture and sale of gutka and mawa. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, he said the government had also approved proposals to increase penalties for offenders and directed authorities to launch a province-wide crackdown on those involved in producing and selling gutka, mawa, and mainpuri. He said the use of gutka was a leading cause of oral cancer among young people.

Memon said action was also being taken against wheat hoarders, adding that both Sindh and Punjab had witnessed abundant wheat production. He criticized the Punjab government for restricting wheat transportation, alleging that the move violated the Constitution. On infrastructure, he announced that Pakistan’s largest truck terminal would be developed on the Northern Bypass in Karachi, covering 400 acres, to help address the city’s heavy traffic issues.

The senior minister also made a series of political remarks, alleging that the federal government was attempting to influence the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections and claiming that PML-N would not be allowed to rig the polls. He criticized the ruling party over its electoral mandate and leadership while asserting that the Pakistan Peoples Party had held successful public gatherings in Azad Kashmir. Memon further claimed that Punjab had suffered extensive damage from recent monsoon rains and accused the provincial government of downplaying the scale of the destruction.