I find it hard to believe that everyone should sit facing the Torah, since in many shtiebels the tables have people on both sides, some sit facing forward, and some facing backwards. There is no way they could all be facing the Torah unless half were standing and turning around.
But if one is walking by the Torah, probably one should try to face the Torah, as it says achoreihem el heichal hashem. For this reason I believe many shuls read haftarah on the side of the bimah. You don’t want to have your back to the sefer torah which someone is sitting and holding, and also don’t want to have your back to the aron in front.