All moonshine: Toxic liquor claims eight lives

BAHAWALPUR: Eight people died and two were in critical condition on Saturday after drinking toxic liquor. Three men, Muhammad Sharif, Zafarullah and Siddique, died in Ahmedpur East. Another, Khalid Khaira, died in Uch Sharif after drinking poisonous liquor.

In Liaquatpur, four men, Abbas, Ameen, Shaukat Ali and Aashiq Hussain, lost their lives.

Witnesses said the men had gone blind before they died. Two more men, Ilyas and Iqbal, were brought to Bahawal Victoria Hospital for treatment. The poisoning occurs due to methanol – an industrial chemical used sometimes to make moonshine ‘stronger’. However, methanol can disable the optic nerve. Rahim Yar Khan City police have launched a crackdown against liquor dealers. Rahim Yar Khan District Police Officer (DPO) Sohail Zafar Chattha and Bahawalpur DPO Sarfraz Falki had earlier directed police to arrest moonshine bootleggers.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2014.