Death toll from tainted liquor rises to 31

TOBA TEK SINGH (92 News) – Christmas celebrations turned sour as the death toll climbed to 31 after consuming toxic alcohol in Toba Tek Singh on Tuesday. The ill-fated incident occurred in Toba Tek Singh where 31 people succumbed to the toxic homemade brew by the morning on Monday (yesterday). Dozens of people from the Mubarakabad Christian Colony in Toba Tek Singh were admitted to the hospital for treatment, after they consumed tainted liquor. More than 30 people consumed the home-made toxic liquor after which their condition deteriorated. They were shifted to district headquarters hospital in Toba Tek Singh and Allied Hospital in Faisalabad where 12 died, police said. The deceased include Rizwan, Asif, Shahbaz, Sajid, Yaqoob, Ameen, Younas, Tanveer, Usman, Danyal, Yousaf Jabbar and Basharat, while the condition of 14 people is reportedly critical. Hundreds of deaths are reported annually in rural Pakistan from the consumption of low quality wine. Sellers use chemicals to increase the potency of the liquor which often results in casualties. Local media blame police for turning a blind eye to the illegal sale of liquor after receiving bribes. Previously, as many as 11 people died in October after consuming toxic liquor at a party in Punjab province. In October 2014 at least 29 drinkers were killed after consuming methanol-tainted liquor over the Eid public holidays.