KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the customs authorities and department concerned to conduct an inspection of the imported betel nuts whether these are of poor quality, infested and unfit for human consumption or not.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, ordered this on a constitutional petition filed by different importers against seizing of their betel nuts.
During the hearing, counsel for the importers submitted that the customs officials declared the seized betel nuts for being unfit for human consumption. He requested the court to order the inspection of the commodity by the Ministry for Environment and Food or any other department to ascertain the allegation.
However, during the hearing, counsel for the federal government, deputy attorney general, argued that the betel nuts were of poor quality and unfit for human consumption.
Asim Mansoor, deputy attorney general, also argued that usage of imported betel nuts can lead to cancer in Pakistan, therefore, government does not allow importing the same. After the hearing, court directed the department concerned to conduct the inspection and file report on next date of hearing.
