As many as 32 persons lost their lives while more than 25 were hospitalised after consuming toxic liquor in Toba Tek Singh on Monday.
According to Toba Tek Singh DCO Amir Ejaz Akbar, the injured were being treated at DHQ hospital TT Singh and Allied hospital Faisalabad, where they were stated to be in serious condition.
24 people, including 22 Christians and two Muslims, died after consuming toxic liquor brewed by residents in the Mubarakabad Basti on Christmas Eve, local police official Imran Atif told media.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Saddar Atif Imran Qureshi earlier told a local publication that the toxic liquor was sold on the pretext of permitted liquor. He added that the matter is being investigated, and assured that action would be taken against those involved.
Although legal breweries are present 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 fuel.
Those who died at DHQ Hospital Toba Tek Singh and Allied hospital were identified as Sajid Masih,Rizwan Masih,Yaqoob Masih, Amin Masih, Shahbaz Masih, Younis Masih,Asif Razzaq,Imran,Daniyal,Aslam Rehmat, Basharat Inayat, Yusuf Gulzar,Tanvir Masih,Kishan,Rizwan,Lateef,Jabbar Sharif,Basharat and others are yet to be identified.
