ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Feb, 2023 ) :Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday expressed his concerns about the increasing use of alcohol and asked the government for taking immediate steps to overcome the menace of its use in the country.
The Senator moved a motion in the Upper House of the Parliament to discuss increasing the sale and purchase of alcoholic drinks, their consumption up to dangerous levels and the issue of crimes arising out in the country.
He said that the use of alcohol was prohibited according to article 31 of the constitution and against the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, adding that its use was also increasing the crime rate in society.
Besides, he said that the Council of Islamic Ideology and Ministry of Religious Affairs have also prohibited its use and banned its sale and purchase, adding that despite that the use of alcohol was on the rise in the country, which was a matter of concern for everyone in the country.
The Senator said that licenses and permits were issued in the name of people belonging to minorities. The representatives of the minorities had already apprised that the use of such commodity was also prohibited in their respective religions, he added.
Senator Mushtaq further told the house that according to the reports presented by the Punjab Government in 2018-19, Rs 340 million were collected in terms of Excise Duty from one production plant in the province that produced alcoholic drinks of 2.
3 million gallons, whereas a survey of Wall Street Journal revealed that about 10 percent local population was using alcohol, which was comprising of 20 million masses.
He said that alcohol was also imported into the country legally and illegally and allegedly the departments concerned had failed to control its smuggling.
Meanwhile, responding to the motion moved by Senator Mushtaq, the Minister of State for Law said that appropriate laws were existing and under article 3 and 4 of the constitution its use, import and smuggling was prohibited and the department concerned was also taking action against its use and smuggling in the country.
Speaking in the Senate, Senator Manzoor Kakar expressed his serious concerns over the rising inflation and hardships faced by the common man in the country.
He said that resource mobilization was needed to bridge the gap between privileged and underprivileged segments of society.
He called for taking practical measures to protect the underprivileged segments of society, besides overcoming security challenges.
Addressing the Senate, Senator Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, while criticizing Chairman PTI Imran Khan said that he was not respecting the law and teaching others to act upon the law.
The double standards of PTI leadership should be snubbed on the floor of the House and the Leader of the Opposition should observe restraint while using non-parliamentary language, he added.
Source: urdu point