KARACHI: A divisional bench of High Court of Sindh (SHC) comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi on Wednesday allowing a request by Abdul Sattar Pirzada advocate, counsel for petitioner Philip Morris disposed off a petition challenging a ban on advertisement of Tobacco.
Appearing before the bench, counsel for petitioners submitted a written statement on behalf of the petitioner and requested that in view of deliberations with the officer concerned in the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, he has been instructed to withdraw the petition.
Additional Attorney General for Pakistan, Salman Talibuddin says he has no objection to the request as respondent ministry has sent a communication/email to him. He placed the email on record of the court which said that if the petitioner withdraws the petition against the legislative order, they may be given aq time of 4-6 weeks to implement the order. The orders require of the petitioner to remove all bill board, wall murals, transport advertisement.
The bench after hearing the sides allowed the request disposing of the petition in terms of statement by the petitioner’s counsel as well as agreement between the parties aimed at enforcement of ban on advertisement of tobacco through all media including print and electronic.