The Lahore High Court Of Pakistan Ruled That The Government Cannot Take Enforcement Actions Against E-cigarette Distributors.

On July 3rd, the Lahore High Court (LHC) in Pakistan dealt with over 100 petitions from electronic cigarette distributors across Punjab Province, ruling that the government had lost the case and ordering that the government must not take any further enforcement actions against electronic cigarette enterprises without proper legislative basis. Punjab (or the entire Pakistan) currently has no law prohibiting the use or sale of electronic cigarette products.
Electronic cigarette distributors alleged that although their stores had officially reopened, they were still being harassed by the police. A government lawyer countered that no formal crackdown actions had been taken yet and stated that a draft regulation law for electronic cigarettes was being drafted and the opinions of stakeholders would be considered.
The court emphasized that trade rights are protected by the constitution and questioned the legality of imposing restrictions without legal basis. The court has ruled that no action can be taken against electronic cigarette enterprises before the relevant legislation is enacted.
On June 3rd, Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz announced a statewide ban on electronic cigarettes and ordered the closure of electronic cigarette stores. A few weeks later, LHC Judge Anwar Hussain stated that the government failed to prove the rationality of this crackdown action legally and issued a stay order, suspending further actions until a final decision is made.