Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Mirpurkhas and local residents set up a protest camp on Sunday against a proposed government license for a new liquor shop in the area.
Hundreds of citizens filled objection forms addressed to the Commissioner Mirpurkhas and the excise authority, demanding the immediate cancellation of the liquor shop license.
The objections raised by the protesters also included a call for strict action against other liquor shops in the city that allegedly misuse licenses issued for minorities by selling alcohol openly to Muslim youth.
Speaking at the camp, JI leaders Hafiz Salman Khalid, Shakil Ahmed Faheem and local minority councilor Bhanwar Lal criticized the government for promoting alcohol consumption, which they argued is prohibited by all major religions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
‘The establishment of liquor shops in a country founded on the principles of Islam is an open violation of Islamic Shariah and the Constitution of Pakistan. Allowing such practices invites divine wrath and undermines societal values,’ they remarked.
The protesters also highlighted the lack of basic healthcare facilities in Mirpurkhas. ‘While thousands of citizens are forced to travel long distances for medical care, the government facilitates liquor sales in residential areas, showing blatant disregard for the teachings of Islam and the rights of the citizens,’ they added.