Treasury member Ali Akbar Wains on Thursday broke a taboo in the National Assembly (NA) by suggesting that the government relax the ban on alcohol to wean young men from addiction to drugs like heroin and morphine.| “In my personal opinion, the government should relax the ban on liquor to arrest the rising trend of the use of drugs like heroin, morphine and hashish among the youth of the country." |
Niazi said he supported Wains’ suggestion. “It is a fact that restrictions on liquor have resulted in a surge in the use of deadly drugs in Pakistan,” he said. He added: “I am not going to mention how many members of this honourable house drink.” The speaker expunged his remarks, but Niazi insisted that he stood by them.
Iqbal opposed the suggestion, saying that alcohol was prohibited in Islam, while Dillon accused Wains of lobbying for liquor traders.