It’s a tragedy that 32 people died after consuming toxic liquor during the Eid holidays in Landhi and Korangi areas of Karachi. Last year also more than 20 people were killed in Karachi after drinking poisonous alcohol. Poor people are compromising their health, and dying almost daily after drinking toxic liquor.

Has anybody given a thought as to why only the poor people are dying? Why not the rich? Because the rich drink Scotch whisky, French wine, Russian vodka and German beer.

They have their own bars in the basement of their homes and a ban on alcohol doesn’t apply to them. They are above the law. Since the poor cannot afford smuggled liquor, they drink poisonous alcohol distilled in slums.

If drinking alcohol is a sin, then an interest-based economy is a bigger sin. Corruption, bribery and smuggling are also big sins. Not providing justice and not taking care of the poor and orphans is also a sin.

What kind of justice is this? The rich drink expensive smuggled liquor while the poor are imbibing spirits and sent to jail if caught and nobody dare question the rich.

The government should lift the ban on alcohol because nothing stops by banning, it only gets expensive. Save the lives of our people.

Dr. Khurrum Fiazuddin
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2014