At least 20 people have died after drinking contaminated home-made liquor in a Christian- dominated area in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said today.
Muslims and Christians were among those who died over the past two day in Wasispura area of Faisalabad district, 150 km from Lahore, police officials said.
The victims, most of them labourers, had bought the home-made liquor from a man named Naji Butt.
The men fell ill shortly after drinking the moonshine and were taken to a hospital, where 20 of them died. The condition of two more persons is critical, hospital officials said.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered a probe into the incident.
Only non-Muslims are allowed to purchase and drink alcohol in Pakistan. However, bootlegging networks are active in most large towns and cities of the country.
