VEHARI-The district administration and police have failed to take effective steps to stop liquor sale in the district as the practice has gained momentum.
According to a survey conducted by this correspondent, the liquor sale is at its peak in the district and people in rural areas are making money out of the trade, as they prepare alcohol based on substandard ingredients in their mud houses. The illegal trade has its roots in many part of city including Chak 9, Chak 11, Chak 23, Chak 19, Chak 21, People’s Colony, Muslim Town and Christian Colony where dozens of small factories remain operative the whole year through.
A liquor trader from Christian Colony said he had been arrested by the police several times on the complaints of his rivals. However, all he had to do to get away any action was to pay Rs10,000 and a few bottles of fine quality liquor to the law enforcers.
Making no secret of his trade, he further said, he and his business partner paid a monthly amount to the local police to run their business in the city and other areas of Vehari district. He said that he has been running this business for the last 10 years.
Officials of the district administration, land lords of Mailsi, Vehari and other adjoining areas ,some politicians and commoners are his customers who get a bottle of fine quality of wine for Rs3,000 to Rs5,000, he disclosed.
Some customers also demand foreign brands which he readily makes available at a higher price, he claimed. A majority of the liquor traders, he said, are enjoying blessings of the bigwigs whom they provided liquor free of cost.
The survey also reveals that scores of shops, including medical stores and homoeopathic clinics, situated in front of Saddr Police Station, sell liquor allegedly under the guise of medicines.
Another trader, who is allegedly a main supplier of liquor in the jurisdiction of Danewal Police Station, sells liquor overtly in General Bus Stand flats. The accused has been enjoying police protection after giving shares to Danewal Police for the years.
When contacted, newly appointed DSP Imran Rasheed told this reporter that police have arrested hundreds of traders and registered cases against them during the last three months after the appointment of DPO Ghazi Salehuddin, but the menace required much more efforts to be extirpated.
Danewal Police SHO Fiaz said that police do their duty whenever they receive information about any such illegal activity and there should be no question of promoting the trade by the police.