Illegal Gutka Trade Continues Despite Legal Crackdowns
The illegal trade of gutka in Karachi is causing significant public health concerns as well as law enforcement issues. Despite stringent laws and periodic crackdowns, weak investigations and low conviction rates have allowed the majority of dealers to evade punishment.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, oral cancer rates among men in Pakistan are highest in South Asia, with an overall rate of about 4 percent nationally and up to 30 percent in Karachi due to gutka use. Additionally, every fifth person in Karachi is addicted to gutka, mainpuri, and mawa.
In 2021, Muhammad Tahir, a gutka dealer arrested by the Sharafi Goth police, had his bail application rejected. The police found large quantities of gutka and materials used for making mawa at his residence, including equipment like packing and mixing machines, wet betel nut, tobacco, lime, china powder, chemicals, and prepared mawa.
Despite legal efforts to curb the sale and use of gutka, only about 5 percent of arrested suspects are convicted by courts. Sindh Police data shows that out of 10,194 cases registered in 2019, 5,500 remain pending. By the end of 2025, 145 gutka dealers have been arrested but none have faced conviction.
The Government of Sindh passed the “Sindh Prohibition of Preparation, Manufacturing, Storage, Sale and Use of Gutka and Mainpuri Act, 2019” to address the issue. Initially, session courts heard these cases, but amendments transferred jurisdiction to judicial magistrates for quicker disposal. However, convictions have not improved.
Under this law, those involved in gutka preparation and sale can face up to three years in prison and fines. Equipment and premises used for these activities can also be sealed and confiscated.
Experts like Zahid Farooq from the Urban Resource Centre highlight that the gutka business continues in other Sindh districts such as Hyderabad, Thatta, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas, and Sanghar. He notes that not only men but also women and children use gutka, leading to oral cancer cases.
Prominent criminal lawyer Shaukat Hayat points out the need for improved police investigations due to legal loopholes in case presentations. A recent meeting chaired by IG Sindh Javed Alam Odho emphasized accelerating actions against gutka dealers under a coordinated anti-narcotics strategy, noting that drug-related complaints negatively impact police performance.