Sindh Assembly rejects resolution seeking ban on sale of liquor

The Sindh Assembly on Tuesday rejected a resolution seeking a complete ban on sale and purchase of liquor in the province.

The resolution was moved by MQM lawmaker Anil Kumar, calling for the cancellation of all liquor licenses and a province-wide prohibition on alcohol. The provincial government opposed the proposal.

Speaking during the debate, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar said that imposing a ban on liquor outlets would affect various segments of society, adding that the government could not support such a move. Following the discussion, the assembly rejected the resolution.

During the session, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) member Farooq Farhan raised a point of order, alleging that a JI press conference outside the provincial Election Commission office was disrupted before it could begin. He claimed that the party’s camp was dismantled and the sound system removed before their arrival.

Farooq said he did not blame the police, as they merely followed orders, but demanded to know who had issued the directive. He further alleged that he was forcibly arrested after being grabbed by his clothes.

Responding to the allegations, Home Minister Lanjar said an inquiry was under way into the arrest of Muhammad Farooq and action would be taken against those found responsible.

However, the minister also accused Jamaat-e-Islami of installing loudspeakers on Shahrah-e-Faisal and blocking both tracks of the main artery, causing severe inconvenience to commuters throughout the night. “This is not a responsible act, nor something done by respectable citizens,” he said, adding that Shahrah-e-Faisal is a major thoroughfare of the city.