KARACHI: With the death of three young men on Friday, the number of casualties caused by toxic liquor consumption rose to 32, officials said.

While a majority of deaths were reported from Landhi and Korangi, some new cases were brought to hospital from Lyari’s Agra Taj Colony, Clifton’s Shireen Jinnah Colony, North Nazimabad and North Karachi, indicating that different districts of Karachi were affected by the menace of toxic liquor.

“Mohammed Hussain and Abdul Sattar brought late Thursday night to hospital expired early Friday morning while Abdul Wahab, who had been admitted earlier, died during treatment,” said Dr Seemin Jamali, who heads the JPMC emergency department where a majority of the victims have been brought.

Sattar and Hussain were shifted from North Karachi and North Nazimabad in a serious condition and died during treatment, she said.

Dr Jamali added that six patients were transported to the JPMC from Agra Taj Colony, Shireen Jinnah Colony and North Karachi.

In all, 12 patients were admitted for treatment and a majority of them were in a critical condition, she said, adding that three patients had complaints about eyesight affected by methanol used in the liquor.

Meanwhile, the main supplier of tainted liquor in the city has been identified, according to the police. They claimed that they were conducting raids for his arrest.

DIG (East) Munir Ahmed Shaikh, who is heading one of the two inquiry teams probing the toxic liquor deaths, said that the ‘main supplier’ of the toxic liquor was Tahir. He ran a drinking den in Sharafi Goth, the officer said.

“Three suspects have been booked in a murder case under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code,” he added.

While raids had been conducted on the houses of the nominated suspects late Thursday night but no arrests were made as their homes were locked, he said. DIG Shaikh said Sharafi Goth and Ibrahim Hyderi had been identified during the preliminary investigation as the main routes from where the liquor had been supplied to different parts of the city.

MQM adjournment motion

Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Friday filed an adjournment motion with the Sindh Assembly secretariat to discuss the death of over 30 people after consuming home-made toxic liquor in the metropolis.

The notice of the motion, which was signed by MQM lawmakers Aamir Moin Pirzada and Syed Khalid Ahmed, was received by special secretary of the assembly Makhdoom Shafi Muhammad.

Talking to newsmen after submitting the motion, Mr Pirzada said that the inquiry committee ordered by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah was meaningless as the existence of illegal factories and sale of home-made toxic liquor left a question mark on the credibility of the government.

He said that a PPP lawmaker, Mukesh Kuma Chawla, held the portfolio of excise and taxation for more than seven years and it was the responsibility of his department to check the sale and production of illegal liquor in the city.

In reply to a question, Khalid Ahmad said that the loss of so many human lives indicated that the business of home-made liquor could not be done without connivance of the excise police and the department, which was proof of the incompetence of the government.

Through the adjournment motion, submitted under Rule 71 read with Rule 72 of the Rules of Procedures of the Sindh Assembly, the movers requested the house to adjourn all other business and discuss the issue of over 30 deaths due to toxic liquor.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2014