Anti-Terrorism Court No I Multan has declared three bootleggers, Israr Shirazi, Khurram Israr and Mubarak Shaikh, as proclaimed offenders and ordered the police to ensure their production before the court on the next date fixed for December 18. They were held responsible for supplying toxic liquor in the market that caused death of 42 people during the month of September. Another eight were killed in October, 2004 in Multan and adjacent areas.
Another two Muhammad Khalid and Muhammad Nawaz have died in Punjab and at least 20 died in Hyderabad (Sindh). However, four persons - Shahbaz, Fayyaz, Irfan and Wikki - who were admitted to a hospital, are recovering in Multan and now their conditions are stated to be out of danger.
"Four youths were admitted to Nishtar Hospital in a critical condition, who took poisonous liquor on Eid day. Their condition is now out of danger, while 50 people have so far died in Multan and its adjoining areas during the month of September and October," said CMO of Nishtar Hospital Multan Dr Jehangir Ahmed.
"We demanded a high-level judicial enquiry into the large number of deaths after taking toxic liquor because no official of the excise department, police, health officer and drug inspector was interrogated so far," said Rashid Rehman Advocate, in charge of HRCP Multan.
He alleged that police failed to arrest the main culprit involved in manufacturing the toxic liquor in his factory established in the industrial estate, Multan.
"We have launched an organised operation against the distillers, distributors, traffickers, peddlers in the light of information collected from the affectees and the arrested suspects," Sikandar Hayat DPO Multan told newsmen.