KARACHI, Aug 11: At least 11 people died from drinking toxic liquor in the city, officials said on Sunday.

The victims belonged to the Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities.

They said that more than 12 persons were affected by the consumption of the toxic liquor in Mehmoodabad’s Azam Basti on Saturday night.

“We have received 22 patients of methanol poisoning at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre,” said Dr Seemin Jamali, the head of the JPMC’s emergency department. “Five of them died during treatment.”

The Mehmoodabad police said that five of the patients died in the Azam Basti area and they were not taken to any hospital.

All victims were aged from 20 to 30 years.

Dr Jamali said that four patients were admitted for treatment while others left the health facility against doctors’ advice. Two of the admitted patients were in critical condition and their chances of survival were very slim, she added.

She said that the survivors may lose their eyesight due to the impact of the toxic liquor.

“The deceased mostly belong to the Christian community and low-income families,” said DIG-South Dr Ameer Sheikh.

Based on the statements of some survivors, the police came across the fact that the victims bought the illegally made liquor from a place in Azam Basti, he said, adding that the police detained two persons involved in selling the liquor, while efforts were under way to detain their third accomplice.

However, the Mehmoodabad police said that the victim purchased the liquor from three different places.

Quoting an initial report of the JPMC doctors, the DIG-South said that the quantity of chemical ingredients used in the ‘homemade’ liquor was much higher, which turned it into a poisonous substance.

However, he said the report had been sent for further chemical examination to ascertain the exact cause of the deaths.

The victims were identified as Asif and his brother Siddiq, Shabbir and his brother-in-law Shahzad, Victor Ayub, Raza Liaquat, Boota Masih, Liaquat Azhar, Johnson Masih and Akash, 22.

Meanwhile, a man, identified as Sharafat Shafiq, 30, died from consuming toxic liquor in Landhi-2.