LAHORE – Members of the Punjab Assembly have demanded the government declare the income from liquor manufacture and sale ‘haram’ (prohibited); and take measures to ban the making, sale and use of liquor. Deputy Speaker Rana Mashhood said it lay with the federal government to deal with the matter and the provincial government could not do anything on this. He, however, asked Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Rana Sanaullah to discuss the issue with both Muslim and non-Muslims to seek their opinion. PPP backed-MPA Syed Hassan Murtaza, on a point of order, drew the House’s attention to the income from liquor sale.
Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Mujtaba said liquor was being provided to non-Muslim under the 1979 Hudood Ordinance Fauzia Behram, Saeed Akbar Niwani and Khawaja Muhammad Islam, on separate points of order, demanded the government put a ban on the making, sale and use of liquor. Minority members Engineer Shahzad, Amer Joel Sahotra and Minister for Minorities Kamran Michal explained that liquor was also prohibited in Christianity as well. PPP MPA Hassan Murtaza only four and five star hotels were allowed to sell liquor. He said that nine hotels were selling liquor, but only to the non Muslims.
