ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad district administration has decided to take strict action against indoor sheesha cafes operating in the city.
According to information shared on X (formerly Twitter) by DC Islamabad, the Deputy Commissioner has directed all Assistant Commissioners to immediately seal all indoor sheesha cafes across the capital.
According to the district administration, any cafe found offering indoor sheesha service will face legal action. A case will be registered against the cafe owner, and the cafe will be permanently sealed.
All customers present at the time of the raid will also be taken into custody and shifted to the police station. The Deputy Commissioner further stated that if any indoor sheesha cafe is found in a particular area, strict disciplinary action will also be taken against the officer responsible for that area.
This decision has been made following orders from the Islamabad High Court, with the aim of protecting public health and ensuring the rule of law in the city.
Earlier, the district administration conducted late-night raids across Islamabad and sealed 16 indoor sheesha cafés, arresting 22 people during surprise inspections.
Acting on court orders, Assistant Commissioners launched a joint crackdown in several sectors. They targeted cafés that were operating without valid outdoor permits or violating health and safety rules.
In Sector F-8, the Assistant Commissioner of Industrial Area sealed four cafés, including two well-known ones that were allegedly violating the law. In Sector I-8, three more cafés were shut down, and four individuals were arrested.
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Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon said indoor sheesha cafés were strictly banned. He stated that the administration had adopted a zero-tolerance policy and had directed Assistant Commissioners to take similar action across all zones.
“No café was allowed to operate without a valid outdoor terrace permit,” the Deputy Commissioner had said, adding that the full implementation of court orders remained a top priority.
The crackdown also reached Sector E-11, where the Assistant Commissioner of Shalimar sealed six cafés and registered one case. In Sectors F-10 and F-11, three individuals were caught operating illegal setups.
In Gulberg Greens, under Rural Islamabad, one café was sealed, and eight people were detained. At the Civic Center, six more cafés were shut down, and seven individuals were arrested for violating public health regulations.
By then, two FIRs had been registered under the relevant laws. Officials confirmed that further inspections would continue in the following days to eliminate illegal sheesha operations.
The administration reminded café owners that outdoor sheesha service was only allowed with proper permits. Any indoor setup, they warned, would be shut down immediately, and legal action would be taken.
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Similarly, even before this, the district administration, acting on the orders of the Islamabad High Court, had the Assistant Commissioner City seal a well-known sheesha cafe in Sector E-7.
According to a spokesperson of the district administration, the action was taken because the cafe did not have a valid outdoor permit and was serving sheesha indoors. The spokesperson added that the Deputy Commissioner has instructed strict action against all cafes operating illegally in any part of the city.
No sheesha cafe is allowed to operate without a proper terrace permit. It is worth mentioning that a human rights organization, Pyaas International Human Rights, had approached the Islamabad High Court seeking action against illegal indoor sheesha cafes. These recent actions are being taken as a result of that petition.
