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When the sale of alcoholic beverages was banned in 1977 in Pakistan, it was more of a political decision than a moral one.
Under pressure from an animated protest movement by an alliance of various right-wing political parties (Pakistan National Alliance [PNA]), Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto began to pragmatically address and agree to some of the demands made to him by PNA leaders.
Bhutto’s six-year-old government had come to power through the popular vote and had made a number of socialist and secular promises.
However, by its sixth year in power, the government was facing harsh criticism from its right-wing opponents (especially in the major urban centers of the country).
By the time Bhutto went in for a reelection in 1977, his government was facing grave economic problems (triggered by the international Oil Crises stemming from the 1973 Egypt-Israel War), subsequent inflation and the failure of the Bhutto regime’s nationalization policies that had seen a number of nationalized industries, banks and educational institutions suffering from incompetent management and rising corruption.
During his tenure he had also tried to fuse populist socialist and secular notions of social democracy with a more progressive version of Political Islam (which his ideologues called ‘Islamic Socialism’).
Though the idea was to blunt the opposition coming from the right-wing religious groups with this fusion, it actually regenerated these groups that had otherwise been swept aside during the 1970 general elections.
For instance, as a catch-all slogan, the PNA, led by fundamentalist parties such as the Jamat-i-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) and Jamiat Ulema Pakistan (JUP) demanded that Pakistan be governed by a ‘Nizam-e-Mustafa’ (Prophet Muhammad’s system of governance).
Even though this supposed system of governance was explained with the help of various unrelated hadiths (Islamic traditions based on hearsay about Muhammad’s sayings) and on the modern writings of Islamic scholars such as JI chief, Abul Ala Mauddudi (one of the founders of 20th century Political Islam), Bhutto’s Islamic Socialism had unwittingly given credence to certain myths that began being advocated as historical facts. The historical framework of PNA’s Nizam-e-Mustafa was one such myth.
Secondly, when in 1973, Bhutto purged his own party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), by expelling a number of its left-wing ideologues, he (like Anwar Sadat in Egypt), overestimated the threat posed to his government by the pro-Soviet far-left groups.
And again like Sadat, Bhutto thought that he could deflect opposition from the Islamists by giving them a free hand on university campuses that were until then hotbeds of left-wing thought and action.
By 1973 college and university campuses in Karachi and Lahore had witnessed a surge in the popularity and influence (through student union elections) of the JI’s student wing the Islami Jamiat Taleba (IJT).
However, it was also true that in the event of the ineffectual and divided opposition against Bhutto in the parliament and the streets, his opponents, especially in the shape of the mohajirs (Urdu speakers) in Karachi and the right-wing anti-Bhutto bourgeoisie in the Punjab, largely expressed their opposition to Bhutto’s populist ‘socialist/secular’ regime through the IJT in educational institutions.
During the campaigning of the 1977 elections, the PNA accused Bhutto of being a drunk and resolved that if the people voted PNA into power it would ‘rid the society of the evils of alcohol.’
During a rally in Lahore the same year, Bhutto responded by telling the crowds that, ‘Haan mein sharab peeta hoon, laikan awam ka khoon nahi peeta!’ (Yes I drink, but I do not drink the people’s blood).
He was lashing out in this respect at the alliance of right-wing religious parties with those industrialists whose businesses he had nationalized.
This was not the first time that the right-wing religious parties had blamed alcohol for the economic, political and social sufferings of the people.
The youth wing of the fundamentalist Majlis-e-Ahrar had attacked coffee houses serving alcoholic drinks in Lahore during the 1953 anti-Ahmadi riots.
Then in the late 1960s the student wing of the JI, (the IJT), began a movement against liquor stores and bars in Karachi when (in 1968) the progressive Islamic scholar, Dr. Fazalur Rahman Malik, (who was appointed by the Ayub Khan regime to head the Central Institute of Islamic Research), publicly claimed that beer (or any alcoholic beverage with less than five per cent alcohol content) was not haraam (unlawful) in Islam.
In response to Rahman’s statement, JI asked for his resignation and IJT activists attacked a number of liquor stores and hoardings and billboards advertising the Pakistani made Murree Beer in Karachi.
Nevertheless, the IJT campaign did not resonate with the public that was already embroiled in the largely left-wing student movement against the pro-US Ayub dictatorship, even though Rahman did decide to resign after realising the weakening of the Ayub regime.
After the loss of East Pakistan (that broke away and became Bangladesh) in 1971 and the subsequent defeat of the Pakistan army at the hands of their Indian counterparts, JI accused the Pakistani generals’ liking for ‘wine and women’ as one of the main causes of Pakistan’s defeat in the war.
In 1974 prime minister Bhutto banned alcohol in the army mess halls, although no such action was taken against bars, nightclubs, coffee houses and liquor stores.
Throughout the Bhutto regime IJT tried to initiate various campaigns against liquor stores and nightclubs but it failed to find much public support – until the 1977 PNA movement.
After Bhutto’s PPP swept the National Assembly polls in the 1977 elections, PNA claimed that the results were manipulated and that there were widespread cases of fraud undertaken by government agents during the polling.
After boycotting the Provincial Assembly elections, PNA began a tense protest movement. The movement demanded Bhutto’s resignation. It got its strongest support in Karachi where thousands of students, shopkeepers, businessmen and professionals agitated in the streets and clashed head-on with the police.
A number of liquor stores and nightclubs were also attacked and looted. So when Bhutto got into a dialogue with the PNA, he agreed to close down all bars, liquor stores and nightclubs, also banning gambling and announcing that the Muslim holy day of Friday would replace Sunday as the weekly holiday.
Just when it seemed that a breakthrough was on the horizon between the PPP regime and the PNA, General Ziul Haq pulled off a military coup in July 1977.
Although he also arrested PNA members along with PPP ministers and Bhutto himself, Zia adopted the PNA’s Islamic overtones and then invited the JI to help him turn Pakistan into becoming a “true Islamic state.”
The bans imposed on alcohol by Bhutto remained, but Zia added a punishment of 80 lashes to anyone defying the ban.
Today, sale and usage of alcohol beverages is still banned in Pakistan (for the Muslims).
‘Wine shops’ licensed by the government to cater to Pakistan’s Hindu, Christian and Parsi communities are allowed to function but only if they sell locally brewed beer, whisky, gin, vodka and rum and only serve the country’s (or foreign) non-Muslim consumers who have a permit.
However, according to the owner of Pakistan’s largest brewery, Murree Breweries, Isphanyar Bhandara, almost 90 per cent of the consumers of his brewery’s products are Muslim.
Karachi and the interior of the Sindh province have the largest number of legal ‘wine shops’ and getting alcoholic drinks from these shops has always been easier and less harassing than it is elsewhere in Pakistan.
The province of Punjab has the strictest of laws compared to the more liberal ones found in this regard in Sindh. That is why the JI and IJT have continued to try initiating campaigns against the ‘wine shops’ in Sindh and Karachi. But these campaigns have failed to enjoy any public momentum whatsoever.
Whereas some anti-alcohol crusaders suggest that such campaigns have been a failure due to the bigger problem of heroin addiction in the cities, JI and IJT blame Karachi’s leading political parties, the PPP, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) of having economic interests attached to the liquor business.
In the rest of Sindh, JI accuses PPP ministers and members belonging to nationalist Sindhi parties of being the real owners of the liquor shops.
It is also interesting to note that the use of deadly drugs such as heroin increased (almost tenfold) in Pakistan after the ban on liquor went into effect in 1977. For example until 1979 there was only a single reported case of heroin addiction in Pakistan (reported to the Jinnah Hospital in Karachi), but by 1985, Pakistan was burdened by having the world’s second largest population of heroin addicts.
Also starling is the fact that there has been little or almost no action by the country’s mainstream religious parties on the issue of heroin usage and sale.
Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
wow, Pakistanis are still struggling to ascertain if drugs is prohibited or not..
Perhaps the freedom to drink alcohol should not be our priority or agenda. We have to ask for the freedom to educate ourselves and our women and children. We have to ask for the freedom to think, speak and publish freely. We have to lobby for the freedom to dress appropriately and the freedom from tyrants. Many basic freedoms are going unnoticed and we are attempting to ask for "luxuries" like the freedom to imbibe? It is odd. It is like Pakistan giving trangenders rights while they are persecuting women, children, Ahmedis, Shias. PRIORITIES are important.
Has anyone here ever drank too much coffee? Caffeine is clearly a stimulant (an intoxicant, like amphetamines!). Do the mullahs forbid coffee? Why not? Caffeine is a drug. Yes, a drug. And I thought drugs were forbidden? If a drop of alcohol is forbidden, why isnt a drop of coffee, since a lot of coffee will "intoxicate" you? Or do stimulants not count?
not all stimulants fall into the category of drugs. that's grade 8 biology, lol.
I love vodka, gin, and brandy. And I'm Pakistani.
Looks like there is some real debate going on hereee!!!!! Pathetic!
I'm Pakistani Muslim (from Peshawar). I will openly admit that I drink an occasional scotch, smoke the occasional joint.
but I don't need to make a big deal out of it and tell everybody about it. It's a private matter between myself and my friends (and of course, with God as my witness and final judge when i go to the grave)
we have so many pressing political issues in Pakistan –do we really need to waste time discussing alcohol and its legality in Pakistan?
Alchohol is legal in almost 70% of all progressive muslim countries. Malaysia, indonesia, Turkey, Morrocco, UAE, Egypt, Jordan Lebanon just to name a few. Its not in countries like, Iran, Saudi, Yemen, Syria, Pakistan, somalia, Algeria etc. Get the picture
I would like to inform NFP that the ban on booze in Army messes and Services clubs in 1974 was imposed by Gen. Tikka, the then COAS and not by ZAB.Ironically this ban was lifted by none other than Gen.Zia in Feb 1976 on the day he was designated as next COAS.
Allah's Messenger cursed ten people in connection with wine: the wine-presser, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted
all this will drive me to drink!
It appears from the comments that most of them haven not even read or understood The Holy Quraan. Strong drinks (not alcohol, alcohol in Arabic is Alcool) are only mentioned three times. In Surah Al Baqar "They question theeabout strong drink and gamesof chance. Say: in both is great sin and someutility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. In Surah Al Nisa "O ye who believe: Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken,till ye know that which you utter… In Surah Al Maida "O ye who believe: Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed.
No where in the scripture there is any punishment. And it is not definitely forbidden. It is advised not to drink but not absolutely prohibited. That appears to be sensible. I would add that I do not drink.
Yes, good you mentioned this Shafi. Not only is there no punishment mentioned for consumption or sale of wine, bit there's another verse in which God talks about fruits (mainly dates and frapes) with which man makes good tasting drinks and wine.
""And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine ye get out wholesome drink and food: behold in this also is a Sign for those who are wise." (Quran 16:67)
Thank you Taufiq. I hope that Mullah learn it too!
Although both are the worst of evils but the latest one is more lathel and has made the user living dead bodies moving arround than the ancient one.
The point is this: Alcohol should not have been banned. Why? People have it anyway. But even more considerable should be the fact that alcohol and bars/nightclubs attract tourism. We can see other Muslim countries, Malaysia e.g., which have a large number of devout Muslim population nevertheless those countries have clubs and bars too. I am not implying in any way that it is the ultimate thing. It is just one of those which needs to be reviewed in order to make Pakistan an attractive country for the foreigners.
Drugs like heroine should be banned.
I agree with Hamza 100%. Alcohol should be legal and drugs like Heroine as mentioned above should be banned. I drink Alcohol on weekends and I believe that I 'll go to Heaven in after life, because I live very peaceful life.
what is yur point?
I was disappointed by article. Whats the point?If author and his supporters are getting alcohol even if it is banned then why they want to make it open..?
Sigh, if only those who are harping about the greatness of the ban on alcohol in Pak, would have shown the same passion on banning hate mongers on TV. Tsk, tsk.
I was disappointed by article. Whats the point?
If author and his supporters are getting alcohol even if it is banned then why they want to make it open..?
Because if not legal, alcohol is sold at a much higher price which makes it difficult to afford for the not so rich. For them, heroine is a much cheaper alternative which, as we all know, is a Class A drug and can be fatal.
This very same logic can be applied to all things banned. Drugs are expensive, so lets make them legal.
Mr. nadeem Paracha and all others: Please understand basic principle "What is wrong, has to be banned". If liquor having bad effect on society (u may experience weekends nights on europe/UK streets) it has to be banned, if drugs is not good , needed to banned. You cannot deny this basic principle. Now, the issue comes the effective implementation, that what GoP and we have to workout. Government cannot earn money on the expense of people's health and society norms. Those who thinks that Government is not "Thekedar" wrong government is responsible of peoples welfare and to implement laws to protect the society. If government things that liquor and wine will destroy our society then it has every right to ban it.
Mr Ahmed
To be realistic it is more dangerous to ban it than to allow it. This experiment failed in India many times. In recent times the state of Haryana banned it . But the expenditure on policing the illegal sale and making it proved to be more expensive, It can be achieved by educating the people and especially the kids.
I meant to say alcohol is legal in Turkey
At this point of time you all should talking of eliminating CORRUPTION but sadly all so concern about alcohol & drugs
God Bless
Not just concern about alcohol and drugs, talking because this particular post was about the said 2 things. Unfortunately we seem to have woken up from trance in a situation where all the wrond kind of people are incharge. So trying to figure out what to do now.
Some of these comments make the hair on my back stand. I am a Muslim, living in the USA. Alcohol is a very big problem even here, and I say so because I was exposed as a youth to it and it has shattered my life. Indeed this is the route to all evil. Many may say that using alcohol shoud be done in moderation. The bottom line is it is not in our blood. Our father's, grandfathers, and so on did not indulge in it, so when we use it, especially knowing that it is forbidden and disliked by the Allmighty, we get depressed, hate ourselves more, and are at risk for serious depression, which is also known to lead some to be suicidal, another disliked act by God, unforgivable. At the age of 18 I was diagnosed as an alcoholic. I have been to 6 rehabilitation institutions since. This does not have to do with parenting as my folks always followed the faith, and know one of my kin as much as even stepped into an establishment which even served the poison. It is an individual choice, which, if introduced to at a younger age, will expose you to it for life, especially if you live somewhere where it is the norm. The people who think that it is progressive and liberal, please, give it a break. Do you want your children or future generations to indulge in a life of sin? When drunk you can not even worship. If you think the last comment was meant in a physical sense then look at it from a mental state… the guilt is unbearable. First you skip some prayers, then all you attend is Friday. Even Friday prayers are then neglected and then Eid. Apparently, now you are a liberal, and progressive, but in fact your heart has blackened. Your future generations might save you. They are your only means to salvation on the final day, for their good acts and prayers for you might save you from the fire. Before you come out and bash me, please re read this comment, and look for the truth from someone who knows from a very young age through experience.
This seems to be more a sign of personal weakness than a social evil. There are plenty of people who have been drinking in moderation their entire lives – I believe the problem with you is that since your forefathers did not do it, you took your rebellious streak a bit too far. The problem that I see with banning the product is the hypocrisy that if forces you to adopt. I have seen the miles of cars crossing the bridge from Saudi to Bahrain over the weekends just to go drinking and have a good time.
That certainly doesn't imply everyone there wants to drink and so liquor should be made legal!
Great point.
Awesome Reply!
Thumbs up, Javed.
Mr. Jibran,
Please speak for yourself, I came to US at an early age and got exposed to drinking and enjoyed it and have to admit I over did it at times. I am in late 30s now, and at some point of time it has become a social thing. As rightfully another reader mentioned it's your personal behavior and may be it has darkened your heart but mind you it's your heart only.
It is well known that abuse of any substance is bad for your health
Alchohol, Opium and Hashish were all part of Islamic history. In the times of Ibnesina and Alrazi, alchohol was separated by distillation from wine and hence the name alcohol (arabic word for distillation). Alcohol and opium was used by both these great scientists for medicinal purposes. Hashish was also used by the Hashasinis took this medicine before battle, to reduce pain. Only when these drugs were misused for recreation, the ban came in the Hadis.
Let me correct you,brother.Every substance that causes 'Nashah"(intoxication) is/has always been banned in Islam,from the times of time of the Holy Prophet,sallala alahe wassalam.The assassins were drugged by their leader Hassan ibne Saba as he used them for Political Assassinations.THese were kept in Almout ,a fortress built on an unassailable hilltop in what id now Iran,in 12th Century.If some one uses drugs like Hashish or Opium<or Crack for meditation or "high flying' and says it is permitted in any divine religion,he is distorting God Almighty's Commandments.He needs to look more deeply and correctly on Islam and its teachings.
The ulema's firstly decide that "Nasha" is Haram in Islam or "Sharab" is haram in Islam. than only we could go forward. You take a decision today and its being " Right or Wrong " the future will decide not the day when the decision is taken.
Would those of you who are in favor of removing ban from alcohol sale and living in Pakistan be happy with wine and beer available to your children at street corners?
Yes, it can still be obtained and drunk but only by rich influential Pakistanis at high prices, most of whom don't pay taxes and feed off the poor anyways. Being a middle class citizen of Pakistan, I wouldn't want easy access to alcohol for my kids. Thanks.
Anna Hazare is an advocate of complete ban on alcohol : " When some villagers were found to be drunk they were tied to pillars and then flogged, sometimes personally by Hazare. He justified this punishment by stating that “rural India was a harsh society”, and that
Doesn’t a mother administer bitter medicines to a sick child when she knows that the medicine can cure her child? The child may not like the medicine, but the mother does it only because she cares for the child. The alcoholics were punished so that their families would not be destroyed.
Hazare appealed to the government of Maharashtra to bring in a law whereby prohibition would come into force in a village if 25% of the women in the village demanded it. In 2009 the state government amended the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 to reflect this (Source: Wikipedia).
The question is, did the ban do any good for the people? Are there any good achievements by banning it? Did people benefited from the ban? The answer is No. Those who want to drink are drinking; those who want to sell are selling; only the govt. is deprived of the millions of the money it could earn as taxes.
How many are drinking now and how many will drink if ban is lifted? Got some figures?
I can't seem to understand where the priorities of NFP are at the moment. When we are stuck in massive floods, epidemics, terrorism, joblessness, infighting, corruption, selfishness, usurption and lack of governance, does it seem prudent to point out issues that actually don't exist? To an average Pakistani, do such issues really matter?
Mr. Paracha: Your information on that "according to the owner of Pakistan’s largest brewery, Murree Breweries, Isphanyar Bhandara, almost 90 per cent of the consumers of his brewery’s products are Muslim".
Please check ur facts.
NFP is trying to make a ridiculous point that banning of alcohol lead to increase in heroin use. Heroin was introduced in Pakistan during the Afghan Jihad courtesy our neighbors on the west besides many other evils of Zia's dictatorship. So those who say banning liquor leads to increase in use of heroin would propose leglalizing heroine as well?
Well my dear all 1st thing as we all know that Allah created us and He is the one who programme us, He knows all human nature, because He creat us. So if He order to stop human from drinking alcohol, it is harmful to human, to society.
We all seen most of the accident death in first world country who has no ban on alcoholism is due to drunk driving.
Smoking and chewing pan causes more harm to a person's heatlth than alcohol. In fact medical tests have proven that Wine is beneficial to health. Why is Smoking and Chewing Pan not considered Haram?
Smoking and pan are not beneficial for a person's health just like cyanide is not beneficial for a person's health but is not established haram by Allah as he has given as the faculty of thinking to sort that out. About alchohol Allah the creator of the heaven's and earth has stated that there are some benfits in it but its harm is much greater. The knower of all things Allah has instructed us to avoid alcohol for our betterment. This guidance is a blessing from Allah and every muslim society must establish this guidance of Allah. Look at the curse of alcohol on those societies that have permitted it. In short alcohol opens the gate to a flood of social vices such as immodesty, aggression and weekend lewdness in public.
Thanks but we have all of that in our society already.
I am afraid Zardari is following in ZAB footsteps and by next elections, he will do the same as his father-in law did just to stay in power. Bad for the country.
religion is supposed to be private. its not the states job to interfere in peoples faith. which is why banning drinking just because it is prohibited in islam is wrong.
Islam is a complete code of life that covers both the personal and the private domain of our lives. Inspite of alcohol being haram a minority of muslims drink it in private and that is a choice that they have made for which they are answerable to Allah. However, as an Islamic society alcohol cannot be permitted to be consumed in public, as a muslim society must establish Allah's commandments that alcohol is haram. Herein lies only benefit for muslims both in this world and the hereafter.
*startling
Bhutto was no secular, and he was an Islamic Socialist and a nationalist, who was punished for developing nuclear weapons by the World Powers
dont paint him as some secular person
as for alcohol is should be banned and harsh punishments for its sale.if its forced onto the black market good, at least that way people drink it in shame hidden from society
I see him as a person who used big words but could not deliver. Played with the people of Pakistan 's emotions and sank the ship of this country there and then. Today's corruption saga is a continuation only. He makes me think of another leader who is doing the same to Pakistan. Both are under great influence of bollywood movies. Both tried hindi songs to blackmail the general lot. Altaf Hussain took a lot of ideas of his rhetoric from bhutto. Haan mein sharab peeta hoon, khoon to nahi peeta ( mein ne pee sharab, tum ne kya pia, aadmi ka khhoon……), and Altaf hussain says " parde mein rehne do , parda na uthao…….. ha ha ha.
alcohol consumtion is a non issue. it is between you and your creator–a personal matter. make it free and no one will drink.LOL
Example of pointless, writing for the sake of writing article. Shows a confused mind of writer… Really What's the point NFP?
People should not be treated as kids – adults do not need "supervision" – they should be allowed to make choices. The state in its infinite wisdom thinks it knows better, but is often wrong. Banning anything must be a personal choice, not imposed. One's piety is one's business, not the state's. Those who want bans on anything are just either trying to control the lives of others (which is another sin, IMHO), have ulterior motives (grab for power for example), or have little self-control over their lives and are not capable of regulating their own behavior (juvenile in mentality). Religions should promote self-regulation rather than regulation by a state.
It is stated in the Quran:
“They ask you regarding wine and gambling. Say, in both of them is major sin, and there is some benefit for men, but the sin of them is far greater than benefit ”
(Surah Baqarah)
Cheeeeeers! NFP
If anything should be banned in the Islamic Republic it is bribery. It is the root cause of all evil in the country whether its known as commision or by any other name. How come IJT has never spoken out against it?
Agree with you. but ' Nadeem Bhai ' should not promote a sin. i strongly condemn his views. May Allah give him Hadayat.
Z A Bhutto and Pervaiz Musharraf appear to me to be the only good leaders Pakistan social system threw up.That's my view alone of course.
The country is being torn by one crises after another and you are talking about "haan mein peeta hoon". Come on Paracha Sahib, you have fan following. Why dont you dont you direct their attention to Pakistan instead or alcohol in Pakistan??
Alas Bhuto Sahib being the intelligent student of History and people's movements could not learn the lesson ——you cannot defeat Rightist forces with rightist tactics
The World has experimented the ban on alcohol many times over. It doesn't pay. It was banned in Pakistan only to let heroin take its place, which is, as one of my friends said, 7,000 times more dangerous and harmful.; and 7,000 % people drink than most of us know about. Finally, making drinking a taboo is making people hypocrites!
Allah the creator of the heavens and the earth has deemed alcohol haram (not permissible) for muslims. Hence as muslims we are bound to implement Allah's commandment. Heroin as well as all intoxicants fall in the same category, consequently a muslim society must endeavour to eliminate its availability. It was the advent of imperial powers in 1979 in our neighbourhood that gave boost to heroin trade and consequent consumption in Pakistan. Today the so called developed societies of the world are sinking in alcohol and heroin, on weekends a vast majority of them sink below even the lowest standards of decency. Agha you are right the world has experimented with such vice many times over and every time it resulted in the same result as witnessed by the nations of Pharoah, Aad, and Samood when they did not adhere to the guidance of their messengers as stated in the Quran Surah 69 ayats 2 to 13.
It has pretty much proven fact one can not legislate morality.We human,kill,steal,commit adultary and many terrible crimes which are all illegal in all society,it can only be regulated,controlled and strictly enforced.Humans will always find a way around who wants to drink.I have lived USa for about 1/2 century,do not drink or eat meat,nothing to with religion,I have none,just know they will not do me any good,may be harm,but no benifit,all my problems will remain the same in the morning,I do not know the answer,that is why with all banning people still drink even in saudi arabia as well in UK or Germany and Ireland.Case closed.
I'm sorry when u say people also drink in Saudi Arabia…have you lived there??? how do you know?
Dear Ahmed, I have lived in Saudi Arab for 10 years and I can tell you that people do consume alcohol there. they do not do it openly but in secrecy. I dont know if they consumes as much alcohol as europeans do but still they do consume lot of amount. It is the most suppressed society i have seen and many bad thing happens there. Banning something like alcohol is not a good option. You can educate people about its harm and then let the people decide for themselves.
Well on the beaches of Saudi Arabia – one can still find cans of beer and bottles of whiskies. Banning of alcohol cannot be resolved by autocratic methods but understanding. Religous parties in Pakistan are the biggest hypocrates they never say a word about the drug abuse which is the biggest culprit of society these days.
Alcohol is the root cause of all evil. An example: A muslim mullah was tested by adge who ordered him to choose one among the three items: bottle of alcohol;a piece of poke meat or a prostitute. The maulana thought for a moment and said a poke meat and prostitute are haram and sin, alcohol is liqujid so lets try. He drank the whole bottle of alcohol and got drunk, felt hungry ate the poke meat, felt lust used the prostitute. The moral of it is that he committed all three sin by having alcohol.
Alcohol is good if consumed in control and if one can afford it.
Like it!
Alcoholism has been here ever since the world was born. The ancient Egyptians use to drink beer 3000 years back. Alcohol has nothing to do with morals and ethics. It just helps a drinker relax and enjoy the moment. On the other hand heroin is a life threatening drug. Hence drugs should be banned and alcohol should be taxed. It shouldn't be allowed to advertise Alcohol products but it should definitely be open to public in public cafes and bars. This will generate billions of rupees in federal taxes that can be then used to make schools and health facilities for the poor….
There is a general impression that this article gives a positive leaning towards Bhutto and his policies. It almost seems that NFP is trying to raise this issue so that consequent possible legalization of alcohol could take place in Pakistan. However I agree with him that majority of Muslim religious parties have not focused on the more urgent, important and widespread issues of drugs and related crimes.
NFP, didn't bhutto also face opposition from the nationalist parties of NWFP and Balochistan (which were secular) ? I thought PNA also included Wali Khan's NAP !!
true, but that didn't mean that NAP – Wali sided with the religious folks, rather it was on the ground of problems in elections.
Bans don't work. Never have. The "banning" should be from the heart of the people. If you want a very good example of this, check out the Mormons. They do not use any alcohol, tea, coffee, cola drinks, tobacco and seem to be doing just fine.
agree with kamran arain
I think Alcohol is wonderful to have, if people drink in controlled way. The more you control bigger the black market. In India Alcohol is prohibited in Gujarat for many years but people cross the border to other state drink and come back. Its so funny to see them, as they always tease the police on the border. There is hell lot of alcohol available there. So, instead of banning this heavenly drink, make a strict law for selling, alcohol content etc. Otherwise, there are many underground desi liquors, where chances of alcohol is more than 70-80%.
Is the writer trying to defend consumption of liquor by Muslims in Pakistan? It is a sin under Islamic teaching. A sin is a sin regardless how widespread it is.
And your point is?
That is your opinion.
What about corruption? Is that not a sin?
Its good that Alcohol is banned in Pakistan. We, as a nation, do not need alcohol to go crazy. We are already confronted with madness at traffic signals and rush hours, I really wouldn't like those people to be drunk as well.
How about those druggies? Plus people who do drink, do drink so whats the difference.
Very well said!
Alcohol needs to be banned because it says so in the quran. Not sure what the confusion is all about. Current logic seems to be to accept a vice just because it's common. Don't think that is how its supposed to work.
actually it does not say that anywhere. Read it yourself and with meaning instead of listening to other people…
(O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bath — unless (you are) travelling on the road — until you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving. Aayat—43, Surah—Al—Nisa).
(They ask you about intoxicants and games of chance. Say: In both of them, there is a great sin and means of profit for men, and their sin is greater than their profit. And they ask you as to what they should spend. Say: What you can spare. Thus does Allah make clear to you the communications, that you may ponder" Aayat—219, Surah—Al—Baqara).
(O you who believe! Strong drink/Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination – of Satan's handwork: Leave it aside (abomination), in order that you may succeed.
The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist? Aayat—90—91, Surah—Al—Maida)
Even after the above if someone feels that Alcohol is allowed in Islam then I hope Allah guides them well.
Hasan…I think you're the one listening to people…it is in the Quran and there are a lot of very authentic Ahadis banning it
Answer: Intoxicants were forbidden in the Qur'an through several separate verses revealed at different times over a period of years. At first, it was forbidden for Muslims to attend to prayers while intoxicated (4:43). Then a later verse was revealed which said that alcohol contains some good and some evil, but the evil is greater than the good (2:219). This was the next step in turning people away from consumption of it. Finally, "intoxicants and games of chance" were called "abominations of Satan's handiwork," intended to turn people away from God and forget about prayer, and Muslims were ordered to abstain (5:90-91)
I think the issue is deeper. Its good legally alchohol is banned in Pakistan. It is available for all of them who drinks.
ban on alcohal should be lifted to attract the foreigners in city, to resotore peace and calm in the city, the concentration of the yougester should be diverted towards enjoyment
Legalise and regulate! Prohibition NEVER works.
Informative article especially for the people who grewup in Zia's era !
To say that Heroin addiction increased because of the ban on alcohol in my humble opinion would be incorrect. I Think it is more closely linked to our joining the U.S. against the U.S.S.R. in Afghanistan as a source of financing and funding the the "Jihad". Two wrongs do not make a right. But Nadeem bhai has a right to his opinion and we should always respect that.
I strongly suggest to please read up on an article done by Times, few years ago and perhaps than you will change your mind and agree with Nadeem and host of other people, I guess majority here dsagrees with you.
I remember very well that speech of Bhutto's. It set a lot of young men on fire and we confronted the IJT people to talk about real issues.
Great piece.
Excellent piece of history once again NFP.
And yes, you are right. Religious parties who have campaigned against Alcohol remained quiet about deadlier stuff like heroin. Pitty
I agree with your histroic account. However there is a serious mistake in your comment……..(Islamic traditions based on hearsay about Muhammad’s sayings)………. Hadiths are not mere hearsay, they have been adopted by islamic scholars after thorough investigations about the veracity of prophets sayings. This is either an inadvertant lapse, poor choice of the word or plain ignorance. I would rule out ignorance as i assume you have a thorough knowledge about isalmic religion since you seem to criticise it quite often.
There are different levels of hadith (from strong to weak). Not all ahadith have strong sources/narrations. Not all ahadith have been "adopted by scholars". That is the whole point of knowing the strength of the hadith and its narrator. There are some ahadith that can be considered based on hearsay, those are considered weak hadith. This is not an anti-religion statement, this is fact. There are (weak) ahadith that say that you should only comb your hair one day a week. These are generally ignored by scholars and by Muslims in general.
Banning liquor does not make us better muslims, it should be personal decision. It may be moral/personal corruption but not as bad as other types of corruptions
Well said, Mr. Munir
Munir, how did you concluded this that banning liqour does not make us better muslims, please ellaborate……
Liqour is really harmful. Govt of India has left the matter for the states to deal with. Indian states are viewing it as a revenue source and making more and more drunkards every year. Good that Pakistan banned alcohol. Is there any ban on tobacco and pan masala ?
Is there any ban on bans?
Well if any society allows to allow then there will be no need to ban bans…but if a society allows after a ban then yes.
Here in the UK we can see exactly what alcohol does, it causes various diesease and ailments and recent studies show that it increases the risk of cancer aswell, Mariage breakdowns, violence and all other anti social beahviour is caused by alcohol. It saddens me to see young men and women lying in ther own vomit on a Friday or Saturday night, not knowing where they are or wht they have done. This is the reality of alochol. In the Uk the goverment reguarly increases the tax trate on alchol to try to stem people from drinking, public awareness campaigns are active that detail the death and destruction alchol causes. Its a shame that Pakistan a muslim country, debate rages that maybe we should legalise this disgusting drug when in the West they are trying to stop people drinking!!
Here in the UK we also see people working like donkeys 5 days a week, we also see the development, the justice system, the social welfare, these people have been drinking since centuries, how come they achieved all that?
The people you are mentioning actually have a hell of a time on the weekends, and look forward to the next one, try it sometimes ull know
He thinks that drinking alcohol means progressive and liberal.
I agree with zubair. I dont know what benefit they are looking in drinking alcohol. Nobody is saying heroin shouldn't be banned. Indeed its one of the most dangerous drug of all.
Nice piece there NFP, alcohol should be legal and regulated. There is no need to become thekaydaar of others, u want to drink, go drink it. It benefits economy as well as tourism.
Thank God it is banned.
Banning only makes it expensive. Even you know how easily it is available. I could even arrange a bottle in Saudi Arabia where there is a underground channel for every banned item – you understand what I mean ?
What Mr. Nadeem F. Paraccha wants to say, is this ban should be lifted or now anti-alcohol crusaders start campaign against heroin instead of alcohol??????
Banning things can never be a solution. It needs to be controlled and provisioned. Hence banning will only create more problems and yes linking heroin addiction to banning another drug is easily proven. This article is great and should be considered as an historical fact sheet. JUI and all other right wing parties have saddenly only created mess in our countries..and they are continuining to do so each and every year. It's about time we ban them before we ban anything else!
We should not get surprised to see people defending use of alcohol because it is haram ordained by Allah in Quran.Any thing which is declared haram is an eye-sore to such people.. They intend to destroy religious values and society at large.
Allow use and use the tax to promote,say, education.