Officials suspended as Karachi liquor death-toll reaches 29

KARACHI: Authorities in Karachi have suspended six senior excise officials and six policemen as it begins investigations after 29 drinkers died from consuming methanol-tainted liquor over the Eid public holidays.

Gayan Chand, the provincial minister for excise, told AFP: “We have begun an inquiry to find out who sold the spirit illegally and we would take further action against those dealers.

“He confirmed six officials from his department had been suspended, while a police spokesman said six members of the force in Karachi had been suspended for negligence, because the incidents occurred in areas they are supposed to monitor.

The police spokesman said they had a prime suspect and had filed murder charges against him, but he was still at large late Thursday.

At least eight more people in Karachi died from alcohol poisoning after consuming homemade liquor over the Eid public holidays, bringing the total to 29 — the highest recorded toll in seven years, a hospital official said Thursday.

The toll has jumped since the first deaths were reported on Tuesday, with residents of the low-income Landhi and Korangi neighbourhoods of the southern city mainly affected.

The incidents highlight the proliferation of low-grade liquor in the Islamic country, which officially bars Muslims from drinking.

“The death toll from toxic liquor has risen to 29, while 24 others were being treated at the hospital,” said Seemi Jamali, a senior doctor and spokeswoman for Karachi's Jinnah Hospital.

Police have conducted raids at illegal liquor factories, arrested three suspects and seized a quantity of “katchi sharab” (home made liquor), officials said on Wednesday.

A few days earlier, at least 20 people died in Hyderabad reportedly after consuming toxic liquor.

Though legal breweries exist in Pakistan, the sale of alcohol and its consumption is prohibited for Muslims and is tightly regulated for minorities and foreigners.

While higher income Pakistanis buy bootlegged higher grade alcohol at heavily inflated prices, the poor often resort to home-brews that can contain methanol, commonly used in anti-freeze and fuel.

Consumption of methanol can lead to blindness, liver damage and death. In 2007, 40 people were killed in Karachi after drinking contaminated liquor.

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Comments (29) Closed

A Shah

Oct 09, 2014 04:56pm

This is a conspiracy by the foreign hand to malign the name of Pakistan. We all know Muslims don't drink , so these non state actors place bodies and claim that they were killed by alcohol.

Recommend 0

Ali

Oct 09, 2014 05:03pm

We have been watching since our childhood, that after consuming homemade liquor people lost their life and responsible person don't gets proper punishment. This is just because of corrupt people who govern the concern department and after incident they just do raids and apprehension. This is just because that the culprits manged to bail out from the court, or not get proper punishment, which is not enough for the crime which he committed. We don,t know when this system will work properly, because no one willing to perform their responsibilities in order to bring the culprits for justice.

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 09, 2014 05:29pm

But they said that procurement, preparation, distribution and usage of liquor in the "land of the pure" is either highly restricted or almost totally banned?

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A. Ercelan

Oct 09, 2014 05:42pm

very, very sad and all because of a hypocritical morality - 'we' drink the best but 'they' can die from the worst. if public policy was based upon learning from neighbours we would do well by learning from Sri Lanka. A packet of 20 cigarettes costs nearly Rs 600 while a beer bottle costs only Rs 50, based upon tax differentials. In fact, vodka and gin could be priced as is energy - more per unit the larger the bottle. Then the poor could be and should be subsidised by 'us' since poverty is our fault.

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A. Ercelan

Oct 09, 2014 05:44pm

@A Shah who do you consider a muslim? not drinking or drinking alcohol is a simplistic criterion.

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Abbas Ali

Oct 09, 2014 06:05pm

@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad excellent booz is available from the government controlled stores. Or you can call a bootleeger to have the product delivered at your doorstep. You can can gave the best quality product from the bootleeger.

Recommend 0

Ali

Oct 09, 2014 06:07pm

We shouldn't throw everything on foreign hand or non state actors. We should perform our duties first and do proper home work. All the Afghan refugees have to be repatriate back to their own country and Pakistan should cancel the agreement, which were between UNHCR, Afghanistan and Pakistan. All the illegal people who live inside the cities of Pakistan without any legal documents have to be shunted out. All the law enforces departments have to go through strict scrutiny and re-org. All the civil departments have to be strict scrutiny and the corrupt head of departments have to be shunted out. Judiciary have to be d-politicize All the border forces have to do the scrutiny, re-org and Mennen properly, so their should be no infiltration of intruders.

Recommend 0

M1968

Oct 09, 2014 06:19pm

Just legalize it....for crying out loud.

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naeem sajjad

Oct 09, 2014 06:42pm

THIS is a piece of news and the things will go on as they are currently and perpetrators would not be brought to book.

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Abdul Majeed Choudhry

Oct 09, 2014 06:53pm

The death toll should be in total as wine is prohibited in Islam but still they are consuming and there is no check by the govt. rather licenses are granted on the pretax of non-muslims but mostly Muslims consumed it. It is some warning by Allah Almighty and Allah forbid these people are inviting His anger.

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AdHawk

Oct 09, 2014 07:01pm

Humans have been enjoying alcohol for thousands of years and no religion or government could curb it. The U.S. tried and failed during the '30s Prohibition era and is still dealing with the remnants of the organized crime that took root in those times. When will they learn that morality cannot be enforced.

Recommend 0

Abbas Ali

Oct 09, 2014 07:49pm

@M1968 it is legalise. Wine shops are located in every locality

Recommend 0

Mustafa Hussain

Oct 09, 2014 08:09pm

Turkey, Malaysia, Tunis, Morocco are all Muslim majority countries but alcoholic beverages are not banned there. If someone indulges in drinking, it should be a matter between him/her and God, not of a State, unless one disturbs the public order. When you enforce a ban, the poor die, the rich can always find their way. The ban on alcohol in Pakistan has meant more crime. Underground breweries, smuggling on Indo-Pak borders and through shipyards in Karachi, bootlegging etc. on which the customs and police officials make huge amount of black money and the state loses money on taxation – the revenues that could be used in health sector and awareness campaigns about Drugs and Alcohol abuse. Let the sin should remain a matter between man and God, the state should take care of crime.

Recommend 0

Oct 09, 2014 08:12pm

@Abbas Ali ...Excellent Booz?? How do you know that it is excellent?

Recommend 0

AKNasser

Oct 09, 2014 08:23pm

There are no alcohol anonymous centers, to remedy alcohol addiction, so it leaves it to those consuming contraband liquor - role the dice and take these foolish chances. Should we sympathize with them , certainly not.

Recommend 0

Omar

Oct 09, 2014 08:40pm

They should establish legal alcohol dispensaries where alcohol can be sold, taxes paid and quality measures enforced!

Recommend 0

Harmony

Oct 09, 2014 09:32pm

@M1968 - That would partly help but it won't stop practice of adulterated, contaminated and impure food substances.

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NORI

Oct 09, 2014 09:34pm

Cross border shelling killed less than 10 Pakistanis and there has 100+ comments on that. Liquor poisoning killed nearly 60 people in different incidents, but just 13 comment so far. Is it Ok if a Pakistani kills another Pakistani ?

Recommend 0

Haaris

Oct 09, 2014 09:50pm

What will those who died whist intoxicated with alcohol say to Allah almighty? I pray the state can stamp this evil out in our society and May Allah protect us from such an ending! Ameen

Recommend 0

Umair R

Oct 09, 2014 11:29pm

@A Shah you very well know that is not true. We all know underground bars in Karachi. A drunk culture shown In our dramas is a testimony to that. Trust me, our country is not that important that foreign actors waste a lot of time in framing Pakistan.

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Dopey

Oct 10, 2014 12:05am

''prohibited for Muslims and is tightly regulated for minorities and foreigners" hahah tightly controlled. hahaha

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Pragmatist

Oct 10, 2014 12:16am

Pakistan has a wonderful Murree Brewery that can supply all the liquor the country needs. There used to be another called Quetta Brewery that can be revived to meet additional demand. Government should also reduce excise duty on liquor and allow its free production, distribution and sale to facilitate the people who need it. I will put the blame of the deaths of people who died due to homemade toxic liquor on the government that has enacted and maintained laws that discriminate against the consumers of alcohol. Religion should be set aside when making the laws. Let each individual decide for himself if he wants to consume or not the alcohol.

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Imran Ahmed

Oct 10, 2014 12:32am

@Umair R yaar please recognize satire

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Imran Ahmed

Oct 10, 2014 12:39am

We as a nation are less concerned about the health and safety of people poorer than ourselves. Our very laws are designed to favour the strong who can legally bribe their way out of punishment by "compensating" victims IF convicted. However wrongheaded and counter productive prohibition is proved to be the people who forcefully impose their notions of piety will not let others live.

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Husain Jan

Oct 10, 2014 01:42am

Six policemen suspended for negligence? No they did not show any negligence...but in fact were very vigilant and it is highly likely that the illegal factories and / or selling outlets were being run with total connivance and supervision of the policemen and excise men too.

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mohammadali

Oct 10, 2014 03:25am

Why not completely ban cigarette, pan, niswar, charas, opium etc., to make it a land of the PURE.

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brmurr

Oct 11, 2014 01:19am

@A Shah Oh yeah, I'm sure that is what happened. Lol!

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brmurr

Oct 11, 2014 01:29am

@Abbas Ali Maybe not so much in this case.

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kirther

Oct 14, 2014 03:05am

Suspension is not the solution their services must be terminated without any benefits, they must be tried and should not be restored, they are public servants and all government officials must be treated as such like in all civilized societies.

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