Syed suggests death penalty for politicians consuming alcohol

ISLAMABAD: Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Shahi Syed Friday suggested death penalty to politicians who drink alcohol, while Rehman Malik demanded a mandatory DNA test for them.

Senate Standing Committee on Interior met on Friday here, with Senator Rehman Malik in the chair. The meeting had discussions on local and foreign booze.

"Parliamentarians represent the people and if they are not punished for doing a wrong thing then why should poor people be?" he questioned, adding that politicians should be hanged to death for consuming liquor, while a lay man should face 6 months or a year in prison.

Asked about marijuana, he said, "People call it darwesh's intoxicant, but that too is wrong and should also be prohibited".

On the occasion, Rehman Malik said that all politicians should undergo a DNA test, adding, "It should be declared whether someone ever consumed alcohol, marijuana or opium, prior to contesting an election".

He was complimented by Syed that if this happened then majority of politicians would be disqualified. The ANP senator regretted that a Hindu is named for selling and consuming liquor, but it is actually done by a Muslim.

Javed Abbasi said whoever produces and sells moonshine it is illegal.

Consuming and selling liquor is prohibited in Pakistan; it's sale, however, is permitted to people of other religions through licensed liquor stores.

There have also been numerous casualties in the wake of locally-prepared toxic moonshine on a number of occasions.