The three-month-long lockdown due to Covid-19 has caused a massive financial hit to the Punjab government as well as Murree Brewery, as the Punjab Excise Taxation and Narcotics Control (ET&NC) Department fell 60 per cent short of its revenue collection target due to restriction on liquor sales.
The ET&NC had set Rs1.7 billion revenue target from liquor sales by licensed vendors, however it was able to achieve only 40pc of the targetted amount.
Murree Brewery Chief Executive Isphanyar Bhandara said that the lockdown restrictions had caused huge financial losses not just to his company but also the Punjab government, which collects at least Rs400m in excise duty from Murree Brewery alone.
“Beside the financial loss, the deaths caused by consuming fake liquor should be an even bigger concern for the government. In the last three months, about 20 to 30 people have died in Punjab due to fake liquor. Since licensed vendors are closed, the regular drinkers have started consuming fake liquor, which is a very dangerous thing,” he said.
He added that they are trying to persuade the Punjab government to lift the lockdown restriction on the company and licensed vendors so that precious human lives could be saved.
“I appeal to the Punjab government to open vendor shops as soon as possible so that people get genuine products and do not opt for fake liquor which may cause their untimely and painful death. There should not be any fear of spreading infection at the permit rooms as people will come, buy and leave; they will not roam around like in shopping malls etc,” he said.
