Three girls dead after consuming poisonous cold drink at wedding ceremony

Punjab Food Authority raids the shop and confiscates counterfeit drinks; shopkeeper leaves the area to escape arrest

At least three minor girls died and another is in critical condition after consuming a counterfeit poisonous cold drink at a wedding ceremony in a village near Punjab's Pakpattan district.

According to Express News, the incident happened in Arifwala on Wednesday where four girls fell unconscious soon after consuming the soft drink. Subsequently, they were rushed to a nearby hospital.

Authorities said that three girls – identified as six-year-old Mariha, five-year-old Fatima and another five-year-old Misha – passed away while six-year-old Saira, who is in a critical condition, had been undergoing medical treatment at the DHQ hospital in Sahiwal.

Following the incident, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) raided the shop and confiscated counterfeit drinks. However, the shopkeeper with his family left the area to escape the arrest.

Taking notice of the incident, Deputy Commissioner Pakpattan Ahmed Kamal directed the authorities concerned to submit the report.

Earlier this month, the PFA unearthed and sealed two factories manufacturing counterfeit carbonated drinks.

The authority sealed 56,772 litres of spurious soft drinks in two different raids conducted in the area of Wagah and Haloki.