Toxic liquor kills at least 9 in southern Pakistan
Pakistani customs officials are pictured behind bottles of alcohol before their destruction on the outskirts of Karachi on Jan. 26, 2013.
At least nine people have died and others have fallen ill after drinking toxic liquor in southern Pakistan.
Fourteen people from the Christian-dominated slums in Karachi were hospitalized after consuming the homemade liquor Saturday night, police officer Mohammad Sarwar told The Associated Press on Sunday.
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Nine of those people have died, and five remained hospitalized.
Among the dead were Asif, Sadeeq, Victor, Johnson, Kashif, Bashir Masih, Bota Masih and Shahzad Masih, the Pakistan Tribune reported.
At least two people have been arrested on suspicion of selling the toxic liquor.
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They are looking for those responsible for distilling it, according to the AP.
Liquor poisoning is common in Pakistan, where the Muslim majority is forbidden to consume or sell alcohol. In late July, 18 people died and dozens more fell ill after drinking contaminated alcohol at two parties in the central city of Faisalabad.
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