Islamabad Shuts All Shisha Cafes From October 14, Old NOCs Cancelled, Indoor and Outdoor Shisha Banned Across the Capital

ISLAMABAD: The shisha evenings that had become a fixture of the capital’s cafe scene are coming to an end. The district administration has announced that every shisha cafe in Islamabad will stay shut from October 14, and the ban is not limited to indoor lounges — serving shisha in open-air and outdoor seating areas is covered as well.

Old NOCs will not save anyone now

According to Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, the no-objection certificates some cafes already hold are no longer valid under the new measures. From today, no shisha cafe in the city can claim a legal basis to operate. The administration has warned that any business found still serving shisha will be sealed on the spot and its owner will face criminal proceedings. Assistant commissioners have been told to carry out regular inspections across the capital to make sure the order sticks.

The push came from the High Court

The crackdown did not appear out of nowhere. Hearing a petition against shisha cafes operating without NOCs, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar asked the administration pointed questions about how such places keep running when no rules exist to govern them. The court has sought affidavits from the chief commissioner and the deputy commissioner assuring that no illegal shisha cafe will be allowed to operate, and observed that cafes should not open at all until the government frames proper regulations. Concern about the effect of these venues on young people also figured in the proceedings.

89 cases and 282 suspects in nine months

A police report placed before the court says Islamabad police registered 89 cases against shisha cafes between January 1 and September 7 this year, naming 282 suspects. Government counsel told the court that draft rules for shisha cafes have been prepared and sent to the government, with approval expected soon. Until those rules arrive, the administration’s message leaves little room for doubt: the cafes stay closed.