Death toll climbs to 42 in Toba Tek Singh Christmas tragedy

AFP Sultan Sidhu Published December 27, 2016

At least 42 people were killed and dozens more were taken ill after consuming toxic liquor on Christmas Eve in Toba Tek Singh district of Punjab, police told DawnNews Tuesday.

Most deaths were reported from a Christian colony in Toba Tek Singh.

Earlier, a local police official Imran Atif had told AFP that the affected had "died after consuming toxic liquor brewed by residents in the Mubarakabad Basti on Christmas Eve".

District Police Officer Toba Tek Singh Usman Gondal told DawnNews Tuesday evening that a total of 78 people had been brought to Allied Hospital in Faisalabad with liquor poisoning, with at least 10 still in critical condition at the time.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Saddar Atif Imran Qureshi earlier told DawnNews that the toxic liquor had been sold as permitted liquor. He added that the matter is being investigated, and assured that action would be taken against those involved.

Though legal breweries exist in Pakistan, alcohol sales and consumption are prohibited for Muslims and regulated for minorities and foreigners.

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

Eleven Christians died in October after consuming toxic liquor at a party in Punjab. In October 2014, at least 29 drinkers were killed after consuming methanol-tainted liquor over the Eid holidays.

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Mandy

Dec 27, 2016 02:33pm

Solution to all this is to legalize the liquor .

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Optimistic

Dec 27, 2016 02:38pm

It is really very sad it's not about 24 people. These are 24 families :-(

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imdadali

Dec 27, 2016 02:41pm

Incident need proper and through probe as the toxic liquor caused loss of precious human lives. It is true that liquor is regulated to minority but it is responsibility of excise and taxation department to ensure its quality and standard but sub standard liquor were sold out is not less than the playing with the human lives. The department fall in the purview of provincial govt. I again say that this incident remove the cover from the poor performance of provincial govt and terming their tall claims of good governance fake.

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Arshad Hussain Khan

Dec 27, 2016 02:58pm

What a Death. Where is the Law? What a Mess..

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Ahsan

Dec 27, 2016 03:09pm

"Excess of anything is bad" Christian brothers must celebrate their holiest festival in all pomp and show that it deserves. But excessive use of alcohol is not at all advisable. Besides its QUALITY CONTROL also needs due attention. Locally produced wines are not guaranteed nor certified by Ministry of health. Let us not waste our lives this way

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zeeshan

Dec 27, 2016 03:20pm

As, usual, this time again death of 24 people due to consuming toxic liquor raised so many questions on sindh government- Excise department. I request the sindh government to impose ban on liquor, and should start crackdown agaist Liquor shops.

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Arshad Hussain Khan

Dec 27, 2016 03:27pm

@Ahsan The Christianity don't allow these liquor. These things, makers and sellers must be banned on Humanitarian Issue.

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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN

Dec 27, 2016 05:49pm

So sad. R.I.P innocent souls. Shame the government.

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Sajid

Dec 27, 2016 08:51pm

Rip innocent souls! How cheap life is in the land of 'Pure'. They did not deserve to die like this.

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aDAM kHAN

Dec 27, 2016 10:20pm

They only have themselves to blame. Regardless as a society we approve of people drinking alcohol in Pakistan, whether they are muslim or non muslim. Surely, the first thing you would check is, is it safe or legitimate to drink or consume. In my opinion, the health sector and hospitals should concentrate on people who really need help, not these idiots who consume un-regulated alcohol, people should have learnt by now.

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Kashif Ateeq

Dec 27, 2016 10:25pm

Need to create awareness, or if some one can come up with a testing device or a kit which could indicate that weather the brewed drink is toxic or safe. Before it turns out to be fatal.

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Pakistani

Dec 27, 2016 10:37pm

They can buy alcohol legally.I don't know why they dont.

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Ouzzy

Dec 28, 2016 04:46am

@Sajid alcohol is only allowed for minorites and they chose to drink it. Whom do u blame for it?. Ban alcohol for every1 at once.

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Ouzzy

Dec 28, 2016 04:50am

Ban alcohol at once. Causes soo many deaths drink driving etc. Rape, all sorts of evil. Therea areason why we were prohibited from it.