Alcohol poisoning: the party’s over

22 reported dead after consuming tainted liquor in Multan.

MULTAN:

A total of 22 people died after drinking poisoned liquor on Friday.

According to hospital officials, a group of intoxicated men were brought in on Thursday night from the Pirwala area in Khanewal and two died en route. Doctors at a private hospital said that the remaining men died later in the hospital. “At least 13 people were reported dead in the last two days from various hospitals and clinics all over the city. Seven others died today,” said Saddar police station District Superintendent Police (DSP) Shehzad Manzoor.

Manzoor told The Express Tribune that the many of the victims were unwilling to be brought to the hospital complaining of alcohol poisoning.

“At least nine people died in their homes because they were unwilling to be taken to the hospital,” he said.

“Many of the patients we saw were in critical condition when they were brought in. There was little we could do and the death toll has now reached 22,” said Dr Fayyaz Khan.

Meanwhile, police officials claim to have arrested a man responsible for producing the illegal liquor. According to an eyewitness over 35 people drank the poisoned alcohol at a party and many had avoided going to government hospital’s fearing that they might be arrested.

Earlier this year, Multan Police carried out raids on factories producing illegal liquor and rearrested several people who were released soon after their arrest after questioning bootleggers. City Police Officer (CPO) Amir Zulfiqar Khan sealed more than 20 illegal factories and recovered more than one million litres of alcohol costing millions of rupees.

“Most of the people manufacturing liquor locally are illiterate and they have no idea about using a small percentage of alcohol. They do not know that large doses can prove deadly and samples have revealed batches with more then seven times the prescribed alcohol content,” he added.

Nishtar Hospital Dr Zafar Alvi adding that most locals were extremely reluctant to admit to having consumed liquor or to seek treatment. “Many die simply because they cannot face going to prison,” he added. A large number of locals in the district have been manufacturing and selling industrial grade alcohol and over 63 cases have been filed against manufacturers preparing poisoned alcohol in the district this year.

“The manufacturers mix two major chemicals Methadone and Ethyl and sell them at least 20 times lower than the cost of quality alcohol,” said a senior police official.

CPO Multan said that the ratio of chemicals used in the alcohol was never fixed and even the slightest variance could cause fatalities.

According to official figures available with the Multan Excise and Taxation department, over 130 people were rendered blind after consuming poisoned alcohol in 2009. The figures go on to highlight that over 800 people in southern Punjab have expired from poisoned alcohol over the past eight years.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2011.