10 die after consuming toxic liquor in Jhelum

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

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

Deaths were reported in Jhelum's Christian Colony area which, widely known as 'sharab ghot' amongst locals, is notorious for its production of alcohol.

Amongst those who have died were guests attending a wedding celebration last night.

The alcohol produced in this area is sold widely within Jhelum and deaths have also been reported in areas beyond Christian Colony where alcohol produced at 'sharab ghot' has been consumed.

The development comes a day after the Sindh High Court order an immediate closure of all wine shops across Sindh.

The incident highlights the proliferation of low-grade liquor in the country, which officially bars people from drinking in the country.

While higher income Pakistanis buy bootlegged higher grade alcohol at heavily inflated prices, the poor often resort to home-brews that can contain methanol, commonly used in anti-freeze and fuel.

Consumption of methanol can lead to blindness, liver damage and death. In 2007, 40 people were killed in Karachi after drinking contaminated liquor.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

Massive crackdown on money launderers across the country

TikTokers Rajab Butt, Nadeem Mubarak’s bail extended in gambling apps case

Punjab govt reply sought on delay in women ombudsperson’s appointment

Adnan Mazher Khan

Oct 28, 2016 11:11am

What a way to die. As a nation we should be ashamed of it.

Recommend 0

Muhammad

Oct 28, 2016 11:32am

Banning anything is not good but if banned then produced illegally the DIG and Dy Commissioner of the area and their subordinates must be punished .

Recommend 0

Garry

Oct 28, 2016 11:46am

Liquor should not be banned. So that people buy good quality liquor instead of toxic.

Recommend 0

Lost cause

Oct 28, 2016 11:46am

No use banning liquor. Those who have to drink will find a way. Govt should open licenced country liquor shop for those who savour drinking otherwise illicit liquor will continue to claim lives.

Recommend 0

shankar

Oct 28, 2016 12:07pm

Please do not let this tragedy cloud your judgement! Alcoholism is a menace that afflicts the poor and the middle class very badly. I know millions of families suffer due to this in India. Please do not make the mistake we made and allow alocohol legally to prevent such deaths. If you do that, thousands will die and millions of families will be affected.

Recommend 0

MNC

Oct 28, 2016 12:29pm

@shankar Well done...... Provision of alcohol is also duty of governments....

Recommend 0

H. Khan

Oct 28, 2016 12:53pm

Liquor should not be banned at all. People are still going to buy it, but from dangerous sources that can even take their lives. Pakistan Airlines should also be allowed to serve liquor. Once that is done it would not be a loss making entity. Real story is that people don't travel on PIA because it doesn't serve alcohol whereas every other airline in the world does and that is the reason behind PIA and Pakistani society's dowfall.

Recommend 0

Garry

Oct 28, 2016 01:07pm

@shankar banning alcoholism is not a solution of problem. Problem is people knowingly drink and eat toxic. People should understand that they should drink good quality alcohol in moderate way. Excess of anything lead to devastation. Discipline makes life happy and prosper.

Recommend 0

A Shah

Oct 28, 2016 01:13pm

RIP.

Recommend 0

Kadva Sach

Oct 28, 2016 01:14pm

Research suggests that banning things like alcohol, gambling (except drugs) actually increase its demand and as a result home made toxic liquor and illegal gambling like cricket betting take place. Look at Australia, fo example, no toxic alcohol deaths and gambling is regulated so anyone over 21 can go and gamble in a casino. And the ratio of addiction in people to such things is far far low than people in South Asia.

Recommend 0

yasir

Oct 28, 2016 01:34pm

its become a fastion in pakistan .. sorry to read

Recommend 0

M.Saeed

Oct 28, 2016 02:16pm

It is not anybody's fault. If people consume poison, they must know their fate. Important thing to investigate is, who are the main consumers of such spurious liquors and who are their custodians? They all should be rounded up for the real taste of law.

Recommend 0

Naveed Iqbal

Oct 28, 2016 02:36pm

Strict action must be taken against those who are doing such type of malpractice throughout the country

Recommend 0

ramani

Oct 28, 2016 02:48pm

@shankar thank you for your honest oppinion shankar bhai

Recommend 0

babar

Oct 28, 2016 02:52pm

Murree Brewery should lower the prices of liquor produced in Rawalpindi so that poor masses can get benefit and not die with the fun

Recommend 0

ramani

Oct 28, 2016 03:00pm

@Kadva Sach you are completely wrong and need to do more research. There are millions of people in the west who are addicted to alcohol and gambling which completely ruins their families and it creates so many other problems in the society in general.

Recommend 0

Why

Oct 28, 2016 03:01pm

Ban alcohol, educate masses about alcohol's harmful effects....Don't bother if any person decides to harm himself after that...

Recommend 0

Sultan

Oct 28, 2016 03:04pm

If you ban its proper selling and purchasing, people will find alternate ways. Such ways will cause lose in revenue, life, health and wealth. This is request from SHC to revisit its decision to save its people from drinking less healthy and toxic things.

Recommend 0

Gulfy

Oct 28, 2016 03:18pm

@Adnan Mazher Khan - you have a very strange view sir!

Recommend 0

Saad Ahmed

Oct 28, 2016 03:19pm

This is what happen when govt ban on consumption of liquors through licenses shops. now bear the burden of the people who died due to toxic liquid or furniture polish i would rather say

Recommend 0

point of view

Oct 28, 2016 03:30pm

Drinking alcohol is part of a culture and it continued to be since centuries in most part of the world including the Muslim countries. Banning alcohol will promote illegal selling of the country liquor which more toxic.

Recommend 0

Jayakumar

Oct 28, 2016 04:26pm

If you ban something ban it like drugs so that the culprits know the harsh consequences.

Recommend 0

ahmad

Oct 28, 2016 04:34pm

@shankar Thanks shankar for making it crystal clear.

Recommend 0

Adeeb

Oct 28, 2016 06:05pm

Alcoholism is the mother of all evils. Is it something when you have no control over your brain. What a shame

Recommend 0

abid

Oct 28, 2016 06:17pm

@H. Khan so you think the downfall of Pakistani society is due to liquor ban? really man?

Recommend 0

majid

Oct 28, 2016 06:32pm

@abid if you use your head & analyse it in an unbiased manner then to a certain extent "YES", I can explain you hundreds of problems arising from the ban on alcohol.

Recommend 0

Jamal

Oct 28, 2016 06:36pm

@H. Khan selling liquor is the reason for Pakistan society's downfall ? What kind of world you live in?

Recommend 0

Abraham Haque

Oct 28, 2016 07:00pm

@Jamal is that the only reason for our downfall?

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 28, 2016 07:29pm

What a shame?

Recommend 0

Sarmi

Oct 28, 2016 07:41pm

Imposing ban on something is not a solution of the problem. It will again support black market and loss of government in terms of not collecting tax. There are other chronic problems like corruption, increasing use of ghutka etc...

Recommend 0

muhammad arif

Oct 28, 2016 07:55pm

Islamic Republic of Pakistan, right?

Recommend 0

Rana

Oct 28, 2016 08:05pm

@Adnan Mazher Khan What is the fault of the nation in this case?

Recommend 0

Rahul

Oct 28, 2016 08:06pm

@shankar I have lived in Indian Gujarat where Alcohol is banned, more moonshine is sold in Gujarat than anywhere else in the country. The middle class drinks imported whiskey (Which is freely available) but the poor are victims of moonshine.

Recommend 0

Ranga

Oct 28, 2016 08:39pm

In the state of Karnataka, the Govt runs regulated liquor shops which sells only sealed bottles at fair prices.

Recommend 0

FOBO

Oct 28, 2016 08:50pm

Sindh High Court in its latest order,banned all liquor shops in Sindh,now such things happened if you ban liquor .Please allow liquor shops for non- Muslims,and save their lives from drinking contaminated liquors .

Recommend 0

dabangg

Oct 28, 2016 09:26pm

@Rahul How is whiskey available if alcohol is banned?

Recommend 0

Really

Oct 28, 2016 10:22pm

@H. Khan l strongly disagree with your analysis . Airlines in general and societies in particular don't suffer downfall because "liquor" is missing in their lives .

Recommend 0

Drmna

Oct 29, 2016 12:18am

People will drink under any circumstances. The main loser is the govt. and the smugglers benefit as they sell the alcohol without taxation at exorbitant markups of 1000%. The true losers are the poor and the govt. This has happened many times before and unfortunately will happen again.

Recommend 0

brar

Oct 29, 2016 05:33am

@shankar Every one knows that alcohal is banned in Gujrat since decades but every body knows that it is easily available there, banning the same is not a solution but it encourages illegal brewing.

Recommend 0

majid

Oct 29, 2016 06:38pm

I wish my fellow country men could shed their hypocrisy & understand the reaction of American people to the volstead act,,,,

Recommend 0

Branded Content

FaisalTown Group and Alfalah Investments forge strategic partnership for REIT-based villa development at Faisal Hills

The collaboration will advance healthcare, infrastructure advisory, and the development of 100 premium villas through an innovative REIT investment structure.