MULTAN, Sept 6: The death toll due to consumption of poisonous liquor in the Multan and Muzaffargarh districts rose to 36 on Monday with the authorities fearing more deaths, as several people are being treated in various hospitals.

The number of deaths recorded late on Sunday night was 29 - 15 reported from Multan and 14 from Muzaffargarh. Of the seven deaths reported till Monday evening, only one was from Multan.

Haji Riaz of the Pul Barrara area in Multan city was brought to the emergency of the Nishter Hospital on Sunday night in critical condition. However, he breathed his last after remaining under treatment for several hours. Mureed Husain of Khangarh area of Muzaffargarh was also under treatment at the same hospital, but he too could not survive.

Similarly, deaths of five more people belonging to the various parts of Muzaffargarh were confirmed by the local health authorities. The victims were identified as Ghulam Akbar of Chowk Qureshi, Khalid of Thatta Qureshi, Irfan, Sarwar and Akhtar of Chak Mithan.

Multan District Police Officer Hamid Mukhtar Gondal, however, said the exact figure of the deaths caused by intake of poisonous liquor was 33, including 13 from Multan and 20 from Muzaffargarh.

He told that the initial interrogation of the sellers of tainted liquor had pointed out central role of Israr Sherazi, who owned an alcohol formulation unit in the Multan Industrial Estate.

The DPO said the police had registered several cases against Israr, his son Khurram Sherazi and accomplices - Mubarik and Nazar - under various sections of Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

The cases against the alleged bootlegger were registered with the police stations of Seetal Marri, Saddar, Gulgashat, Alappa, Cantonment, Boharr Gate and Jaleelabad. There were reports that the law-enforcement agencies had rounded up Israr and his accomplices on the night between Saturday and Sunday, but the DPO denied any such happening. "We are desperately looking for the suspects," he said.

Israr is also learnt to own a circus company called Pak-China International Circus. He used to hire services of the acrobats and gymnasts from Russia and Central Asian States for his circus.

Few months ago, some 18 foreigner performers of the circus had gone on strike against him for backing out of the agreement he had signed with them. The matter remained in the news for several days and was later resolved with the intervention of the government higher-ups concerned.