Twenty-four people, mostly Christians, were killed and dozens more sickened after consuming toxic liquor on Christmas Eve in central Pakistan, police said Tuesday, the latest case of deadly alchohol poisoning in the conservative Muslim country.
The incident happened in a Christian colony in Toba Tek Singh city, 338 kilometres (210 miles) south of Islamabad.
"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", local police official Imran Atif told AFP.
He added at least 60 people were 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 public holidays.
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