Mouth Cancer Patient seeks justice from SHC; urges for ban on Smokeless Tobacco
A resident of Pakistan’s largest city Karachi’s area Landhi and patient of mouth cancer filed a petition in Sindh high court (SHC) on Thursday against smokeless tobacco manufacturers and sellers.
It was learned that the said complainant namely Waseem Masi suffering from the disease of oral cancer which has spread in his whole mouth and cheek because of it he is passing his life on the bed like a disabled person.
In a said petition complainant stated that he was a rickshaw driver and he started using Gutka , Mawa , main Puri (Smokeless tobacco) three years back as a result suffering from mouth cancer.
However, he also mentioned in the petition that he had lodged FIR bearing No 496/2019 in Landhi Police Station on 4th December 2019 against the persons who are involved in preparing and selling of Gutka, Mawa, Mainpuri, City, Rajni, JM, 121 including other smokeless tobacco products.
Whereas the petitioner alleged that the investigation officer of the said police station is not cooperating with him and the police have also failed to arrest the accused who involved in the said heinous crime.
Moreover, he shared in the said document that Gutka , Mawa , Mainpuri are easily available in different parts of the city , however the raw material of smokeless tobacco products available in Joria Bazar Near City Court Karachi.
It was also mentioned on the petition that “The petitioner is suffering from mouth cancer due to the use of gutka, mawa, city , mainpuri including other smokeless tobacco products, he can not even eat or go to work. He urged the court to direct Bait ul Mall of compensation for his medical treatment and to fulfill the basic needs of his family.
Further, he stated that he is suffering from an incurable disease cancer spent all the savings for treatment but now he is not in a position to spend a single penny for further treatment.
In Addition, he asked the court for a complete ban on the production and selling of all types of smokeless tobacco.
On the other hand, Sindh High Court fixed 13th March for the hearing of said petition.
City News learned that the Sindh High Court has already directed the Provincial Government including Sindh Police for a ban on selling and manufacturing of Gutka, but still, the said product is available in various areas of the city as big money involved in the business of said product which took several lives of citizens and numbers of patients are admitted in hospitals who are suffering from the disease of Oral Cancer.
