LAHORE, Sept 22: The opposition on Wednesday demanded of the provincial government to follow the NWFP and ban sale of liquor to citizens even if they are non-Muslims.

MMA's Dr Waseem Akhtar, speaking on an adjournment motion, said the country was an Islamic republic and Quran had in clear terms restricted drinking. The act was banned even by the Bible and minority MPAs had already protested against the sale of liquor to Christians, he said, urging the government to cancel all licences issued to non-Muslims by the excise department for purchase and consumption of alcohol.

PPP's Nazim Shah complained that the excise department was inefficient as bootleggers were playing with the life of citizens. Demanding action against the unscrupulous elements, he said local liquor was available in plenty in his constituency and he was ready to give the authorities even names of the people involved in the ugly business.

Urging the mover not to press for his motion, excise minister Dr Shafiq Chaudhry promised that the issue of cancelling licenses would be taken up at some appropriate forum.

The house also took up adjournment motions regarding collapse of a rundown house in the Walled City of Lahore. Law and local government minister Raja Basharat said he had sought a report from the district government as to when it had served notices on owners of the building for demolition.

He said action would be taken if any official was found guilty of negligence. Another motion about "custodial death" of Qari Noor Muhammad of Faisalabad was disposed when the law minister opposed that technically the matter could not be taken twice in the house.

The house also took up two adjournment motions about closure of Mubarak canal in Rajanpur area and killing of three PPP workers a days before by-polls in an Attock constituency from where prime minister Shaukat Aziz was elected as member of the National Assembly.