Islamabad – Our Sharabi Correspondent: A joint forum of the nation’s clerics and bootleggers said on Saturday that the government should pay no heed to certain voices that seek to reverse the 1977 restrictions on alcohol.
“There are certain voices from the liberal quarters of the country, and the fiscally conservative quarters as well, that the government should bring back this poison in our society,” said Allama Tahir Asad, leader of the Anjuman-e-Insidad-e-Badah. “But we will never let that happen.”
“Yes, that is true,” added Samuel “Snake” Rasheed, a Lahore-based bootlegger. “We will never, ever, ever let such a thing happen.”
Ever since the restrictions on alcohol in the country in 1977, and subsequent strengthening of the same in 1979, some within the liberal quarters of the country have been asking for a repeal on secular grounds, whereas other, more practical-minded quarters have been proposing legalisation of alcohol on the basis of the immense potential revenue that the government stands to make, in addition to a possible protection against the fatalities resulting every year because of spurious alcohol.
“Even if this devil’s drink is sold only in shops to be consumed only at home and not publicly,” said Maulana Ghulam Rusool, of the JUI-F, “its very presence alone would be enough to destroy our moral fabric, our way of life.”
“Yes, true, very true,” said Fahad Ahmed, a Rawalpindi-based bootlegger. “It would completely destroy our way of life.”
At the end of the press conference, the head of the bootleggers delegation, Ishaaq “Shaka” Alam addressed the reporters present.
“Murree vodka Rs1,600, Grants, White & Mackay Rs4,500. Call in advance for Chivas. Bring exact change. Genuine, pakka, canfaram genuine,” he said.
