File Photo. Rizwan Tabassum—AFP
Police say 22 Christians and two Muslims died after consuming tainted booze on Christmas Eve.
Twenty-four people were killed and dozens more sickened after consuming toxic liquor on Christmas Eve, police said on Tuesday, the latest case of deadly alcohol poisoning in Pakistan.
The incident happened in a Christian colony in Toba Tek Singh city. “According to latest information, 24 people including 22 Christians and two Muslims were killed after consuming the toxic liquor brewed by the residents in Mubarakabad Basti on Christmas Eve,” said local police official Imran Atif.
He added at least 60 people had taken ill.
Though legal breweries exist in Pakistan, alcohol sales and consumption are prohibited for Muslims and tightly regulated for minorities and foreigners.
While wealthy Pakistanis buy bootlegged foreign alcohol at heavily inflated prices, the poor often resort to home-brews that can contain methanol, commonly used in anti-freeze and fuel.
Eleven Christians 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 holidays.