Christian group wants liquor sale suspended during Lent

Says similar action taken during Ramazan

KARACHI:

Inside a narrow lane in the heart of Essa Nagri sat two elderly men, sharing a bottle of liquour.

If it was any other time of the year, locals would not have had a problem with what the two were up to. But with the advent of Lent, the fasting month for Christians, residents have called for a closure of wine shops situated in the locality.



Activists of a local social organisation have written a letter to DIG East, requesting that the two wine shops located on the main road in the area be closed down during the 40 days of Lent. There are around a 100 wine shops in Karachi, according to a special report published by The Express Tribune last year.

"The sentiments of us Christians should be respected. We don't drink in our fasting days," says Haroon Mairaj, of the Mission and Action for Social Services, who wrote the letter.

Under Article 17 of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order 1979, wine shops can only be owned by non-Muslims and alcohol can only to be served to minorities.

"The wine shops in this area cater to us as this is a Christian neighbourhood. If we are not drinking, then why should they be open? Who are they open for?" asked Pervaiz Habib, a resident.

Christians say that since the wine shops are closed in Ramazan in respect of the fasting month, the same should be done during Lent, which kicked off on February 10 and will continue till March 25.



Residents claim that those who do not fast also stop drinking, and sales of alcohol purchases by Christians drop down to 50%. But if it is easily accessible and available, people can be easily lured into consuming it, they believe.

Walking through the garbage-laden lanes, a nursing student, Rahoom Kamran, says that while his religious background has never permitted him to touch alcohol, people, even boys as young as 15, are openly drinking nowadays. "They (liquor shops) introduce flavours such as rose or apple vodka to attract youngsters. They become addicts and then do not focus on their studies," he said.

Residents calling for the stores to be closed are gaining support of Christian religious leaders. Father Albert said their religion forbids drinking, adding that at least the holy month should be respected.

Around 60,000 Christians live in Essa Nagri, an impoverished area with open gutters, broken roads and rickety houses. "A labourer who is a habitual drinker spends Rs8,000 on alcohol every month out of his Rs12,000 salary. He can't support his family. This the story of every other house here," said Habib, the resident.

Bad for business

Christian and Hindu employees working at the wine shops disagree with the locals' demand. At the Scotch Trading Wine Shop, one of the shops proposed by the residents to be shut down, Baba Francis did not agree. "Why close down the shops in Essa Nagri? Let them be shut down in the entire city, in fact the whole of Sindh," he said.

Is it really ‘shirk’ to wish someone a Merry Christmas?

A Hindu employee said if they close down, he would be losing a livelihood of Rs400 per day. "Shops are already closed in Ramazan, how can we afford over two months without pay every year?"

Sindh excise and taxation minister Gayanchand Essrani was unavailable for comment.

The Pakistan Hindu Council patron-in-chief and MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said he supported the Christians' demand, and suggested that those crying for unemployment because of closure of shops can find some other work. "Wine shops should be closed down. If the Christians come out to protest, I will [join] them."

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2016.