At least ten people died on Friday after drinking toxic alcohol in Jhelum.

Deaths were reported in Jhelum's Christian Colony area which, widely known as 'sharab ghot' amongst locals, is notorious for its production of alcohol.

Amongst those who have died were guests attending a wedding celebration last night.

The alcohol produced in this area is sold widely within Jhelum and deaths have also been reported in areas beyond Christian Colony where alcohol produced at 'sharab ghot' has been consumed.

The development comes a day after the Sindh High Court order an immediate closure of all wine shops across Sindh.

The incident highlights the proliferation of low-grade liquor in the country, which officially bars people from drinking in the country.

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.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...