7 die after consuming toxic liquor in Jhelum

At least seven people died on Friday after drinking toxic alcohol in Jhelum.

According to Express News, the victims consumed the alcohol during a wedding last night. The deaths were reported in Jhelum's Christian Colony area.



Last week, a student of a private university has died and two more have been admitted to hospital allegedly after consuming toxic liquor in Lahore. Police said a group of university students had arranged a birthday bash on Friday night for a friend identified as Sarmad Rafique, 22, from Bahawalnagar.

Though legal breweries exist in Pakistan, the sale of alcohol and consumption is prohibited for Muslims and tightly regulated for minorities and foreigners. While wealthy Pakistanis buy bootlegged foreign alcohol at heavily inflated prices, the poor often resort to home-brews, locally known as Katchi Sharab or Tharra, that can contain methanol, commonly used in anti-freeze and fuel. Dozens die every year in Pakistan from drinking cheap and toxic liquor.