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Subscribe to RSSThe only brewery in Pakistan is a 150-year-old tradition. Business is booming despite strict prohibition laws. NBC's Amna Nawaz reports.
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan - Beer. Vodka. Whiskey.
These are not words you hear often in Pakistan, where it's illegal for the majority of the population to buy or drink alcohol.
But once you walk inside the gates of the Murree Brewery Company, it's all anyone wants to talk about.
We're greeted by the company's CEO, Isphanyar Bhandara - a man in constant motion - who is the third generation in his family to run the 150-year old company. In his office is an impressive display of bottles - lagers, flavored gins, matured whiskeys - the full product line of Murree Brewery, including non-alcoholic beers, fruit juices, and the latest addition - an energy drink called "Blitz."
"We're very proud of the fact that we're working in Pakistan," he says with a smile. "But you must remember, this brand - Murree Brewery - is much older than it's host."
A brewery that the British established in 1860 to ensure their soldiers were never without their favorite drink is now an unlikely institution in Pakistan, where Muslims are prohibited from purchasing or consuming alcohol. Legally, the company's only potential market is limited to Pakistan's non-Muslims - just three percent of the 180 million population.
And even for them, the actual process of legally buying alcohol is involved and tedious, with business conducted out of sight of the general public. The country's Christians, Hindus, and Zorastrians can obtain an alcohol license from the government. That license comes with a monthly quota. To buy a case of beer, or a bottle of vodka, they must stand in line at distribution points hidden behind hotels or other establishments, license in hand to prove they are not Muslim.
Murree Brewery is doing business with one hand tied behind its back. It's illegal for them to advertise their alcohol. It's illegal for them to export their alcohol. Still, it is alcohol sales that bring in 60 per cent of their revenues, which totaled just under $100 million dollars last year.
Running a successful business in Pakistan these days in hard enough. A lack of basic utilities, corruption within the law and order system, and the volatility of the Pakistani rupee are enough to keep any CEO awake at night. Bhandara shoulders the additional burden of running the only legal alcohol producer in a majority-Muslim country, where the conservative segment has grown more vocal and more influential with time.
"There are more heinous crimes going on, like honor killing, and throwing acid on people's faces, burying people alive," Bhandara says. "These things are considered in a lighter mode, that they are forgivable crimes. But having a beer is considered a non-forgivable crime!"
The truth in Pakistan that few will admit on the record, is that many Muslims do, in fact, regularly commit this "crime." The black market for alcohol is booming business, and the porous border makes for easy smuggling. The Pakistani elite serve wine at dinner parties in their homes. Pakistani men will end a long day at the office with a glass of whiskey. A bar table, hidden behind a curtain, is set up at weddings so that guests can enjoy a drink as they celebrate. But few are willing to do so openly, and potentially incur the wrath of the country's conservatives, whose power, Bhandara says "is increasing by the day."
"We like to keep a low profile," he says. "I think that's the best security."
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Maybe Muslims should start drinking, maybe then they would lighten up a little bit, just saying!!
The reality is that a large percentage of them, particularly the better educated, the upper class, and the leadership regularly drink alcohol. They are just a bunch of hypocrites and do it in private while at the same time publicly condemning those who drink openly. If every Muslim who drank alcohol openly admitted it, those who do not would find they are widely out numbered. Drinking is not the only thing where many Muslims are nothing but hypocrites. There are many other Muslim laws where many Muslims openly denounce people who do not follow them, while in private they themselves violate the same laws. Of course this hypocrisy is not limited to Muslims. Many religious zealots of all persuasions of religion are hypocrites, saying one thing in public while doing the opposite in private. How many bible thumping, family values Catholics out there are there who are cheating on their spouses!!! Hypocrisy and devout religious beliefs seem to go hand in hand.
They closed the causeway between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain cos all the good Muslims kept trying to drive home drunk
JS in SD. Not just religious zealots you can add politicians to the list too.
One standard for us, one standard for them (congressional healthcare and benefits are fully paid for)
Just another aspect of the great hypocrisy of this religion- fact is most religions are that way
LOL...Well as far as the advertising and keeping a low profile, I would say this was the best Ad campain and most effective commercial ever put out by any company on the planet! Well done Murree, Cheers!
cgtraw, members of Congress have the same health plan as all Federal employees, and they part of the cost.
Don't believe me? Google it.
This seems very similiar to the marijuana "problem" we have in the united states.
If you have spent any time or have done business with the people of the mid-east, they always say one thing and do another....It part of the culture.
Kind of reminds me of Marijuana here in the USA...
these guys go at Women FULL-TILT!! But, Nooo!! to a good beer, Whisky or Wine. These towelheads are absurd.
I've lived in a number of middle eastern countries, and with the exception of Saudi Arabia, there is always a government-licensed liquor store in major cities. There is always a way around the license. There is always a way to drink, if you really feel like you have to. In Saudi, we just made our own.
Rich sharks of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and other nations have beaten all records even here also.
Just watch how they enjoy all things including prohibited ones and do unimagineable acts till now in their own palaces and non-Muslim nations!
Some times non-Muslim nations have not seen such barbarians.
In London, one Saudi Arabian prince tried to eat away his gay servant!
I just can't wrap my head around that "Way of Life".
"There are more heinous crimes going on, like honor killing, and throwing acid on people's faces, burying people alive," Bhandara says. "These things are considered in a lighter mode, that they are forgivable crimes. But having a beer is considered a non-forgivable crime!"
This pretty much says it all. Now to find out that many in the population are themselves hypocrites makes it all that much worse. If the above is wrong - say so now and stop allowing such atrocities to happen. Saying nothing is being an accomplice.
It's well established that the concept of "sharia law" has nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with thuggery and totalitarianism. Seems to me that since they all seem to be breaking their own laws, maybe we just ought to drop the big one on them and help them enforce their own laws and prevent a lot of hassles for us. It's definitely a win-win idea. They ascend to the highly sought after position of Martyr and we get rid of thugs who want to kill us. All for a good cause, as they say.
In hypocrisy, double talks, double dealing, backstabbing and abuse of females Pakis of pure Islamic nation have beaten all world records established till now.
When Pakis were under worst floods, their President, Zardari was enjoying in London and other European bars and restaurants. Of course, for help to the flood victims, Amerika was expected to help 100 percent (not even 90 percent acceptable or tolerable)
Muslim clerics, radicals and extremists are the worst barbarians and beasts human have ever seen when it comes to girls and women. Read the report on Nigeria and Sudan too.
Keeping a low profile only encourages the conservatives to more extremism . Bring it out in the open and defy the extremists . That is the only way to defeat narrow mindedness .
Its a nice thought Mike, but that idea along with most of the other ideas that we have of the people that live in those countries wont work. That idea, along with crazy ideas like freedom, democracy, tolerance, and most of all love and respect for a fellow human being, just do not apply. Its the reason we get into wars we can't win, its the reason we pay them bribe money and still cannot get them to comply, its the reason that no matter how much money we spend helping them, they will still always have nothing. Every bridge, base, treatment plant, hospital and school that we built in Iraq will be destroyed within a few years. They are, to put it very simply, 4 to 5 generations or 300 to 400 years behind in simply evolution and development as human beings. They have spent so many thousands of years being told what to do and how things are supposed to be, that they cannot make an informed decision. When I say "they", I mean the population that still feels that it is ok to sell your wife, wives sisters and your daughters into prostitution. The only fix for them is to let them starve, struggle, and spend about 200 years learning what actually makes a population prosperous. In the long run, no country has ever thrived by suppressing the rights of a segment of its population. In short, even though those hypocrites that are sneaking in and drinking would react as they are told to do so, if you brought it into the light of day, those same people would burn the place down and kill everybody associated with it along with their families.
Best vodka i ever had while i was in Pakistan....
When it's my turn to be God I will outlaw religions and legalize pot everyone will be chillin' and nobody preachin'.
glenda-again: you have my vote for presidency..... can i still keep my spirituality though?
Of course you can keep it. In that world spirituality will be admired, but not required. The only requirement will be "Treat others like you want to be treated". I know that has already been done but in my little world I will instantly smite those who don't. A right-upside-the-head smite, it'll hurt like hell.
I live by 'Do unto others as they have done on to you'. Seems to work - I be sure to inform the person who is treating me bad or wrong of the reason that I am not as nice to them as I used to be.
Drinking is a crime, murdering yourself and countless innocents with a bomb suppository is a blessing, and their prophet was a pedophile... what the f--k is wrong with these people? Seriously?
I've called BS on plenty of other religions and cults, but this one takes the cake (but is forbidden to eat it).
Foundations of Pakistan's were looting, raping, kidnapping of girls and women for slavery, killings and massive genocides of minorities.
Within two years of its formation in 1947, Pakis created world records in abuses of females and genocides of minorities.
The most glaring characteristics of Pakis are: talk and act as a saint while being real barbarians and beasts especially when it comes to females.
Look at their Ramdan soap operas.
When it comes to helping the Muslim victims of any calamities, they need non-Muslims help most!
Most ungrateful people earth can demand aids of all sorts and then be very demanding too!
Pakistani people are their own worst enemy, if they look amongst the muslim world the countries that have excelled are the ones that less extremists, like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, UAE, Turkey etc. The reason mullahs try to profess that democracy goes against Islam is because they know that extremists are always in minority and that's the only way minority can rule the majority.
Our removing Saddam from Iraq did not help, look at all the Mullah's coming out of woodwork and pushing the country to the brink of another civil war, which ultimately will lead to an Iran like govt. in power.
The mullahs/clerics are illiterate and uneducated individuals who have memorized the koran front to back and have the inability to adapt to modern times common sense. Their intepretation varies from one to another beside the koran is a created by a pedohile mohamad in 7th century, either follow mo's teaching or death, one does not have choice. If those mullahs/clerics also studied history, math and science things would be much better. Human life is cheap in muslim country, men are more protected than women, women voice is half the value of men. A rapist will go free while the rapee needs to produce witnesses that she was raped (a farcical mullah/clerical ruling), common sense with time does not exist nor democracy is understood quite well. Questioning a mullah/clerics means death, because it means one is opposed to their Allah ruling (Allah said) . Take for example; Sadr, Khamenei/Khomenei, Nasrallah et-all exhorting lies and brainwashing that they have direct connection to their allah, most of their speeches contains " Allah said... Allah willing". Since when does these earthlink have direct connect with their Allah. Whether is mullah, clerics or ayatolla they hide their inconsistency personal ruling in Allah name. Hypocrisy in action unequal justice not every one follow the rules of the law.
"You can save some of the people all of the time and all the people some of the time but you can't save all the people all the time". A friend who was married to a Saudi in the U.S. had to see her Muslim husband deported back to Saudi Arabia. His charge: He was caught running down the middle of downtown naked, high and drunk. She had to divorce him because of the drugs and sauce. When you visit Saudi Arabia, which is probably the most strict Muslim country on the planet, you find things are not always what they seem. Hiding booze in the house, wives making telephone sex calls, Saudi men putting on women's burqas to sneak around to see their mistresses, drives out in the desert in dune buggies with your sweetie and more.
Drinking alcohol is haram (forbidden) in Islam. Unfortunately, not everyone follows the rules.
You mean "fortunately".
No. I meant unfortunately.
Why is this the top "news" story? Seriously...
Drunks tend to be violent. Does Pakistan really want that much more violence?
If you hang out with people who get violent when drunk, then you might be hanging out with the wrong people.
Most of these consevatives drink a home brew type drink that contain some alcohol. There are palm trees that produce drinkable liqud that can be fermented overnite and will have some alcoholic content.
Anyone who thinks Muslims don't drink has not spent any time around them or been in Muslim countries. I have many Muslim friends in Zurich, and they drink more than most westerners.
They violate all their religious laws when they're in the West. Just look at how they treat women...
I once knew a Mormon guy who owned a bar. He didn't drink, but was willing to sell alcohol to non-Mormons. He won his liquor license in a state lottery and planned to make a handsome profit selling it after holding it for the minimum statutory period of time.
While in Israel in the 1970s, I toured the Knesset and even sat in the gallery during a debate. Afterward, we went to a nearby restaurant frequented by members of the Knesset and enjoyed their signature dish: barbequed pork spare ribs.
So much for religious dietary laws...
Thats because there are no Jews in Israel. Only Zionist's. True Orthodox Jews do not believe in the man made creation of Israel as the Torrah states Hasham must create Israel.
Religion means more to some people than it does to others.
More of those stinking diaper heads lies, hypoctrics. Them and their asinine cult (not a religion) just proves they are the bain on the rest of the world with that garbage.
MillerCoors should "tap" that market!
they drink like fish---liars,liars,liars. crazy
Perhaps Pakistan will one day provide a successful model for Utah - where religious extremists' power is on the rise and having a beer at the end of the day is viewed with absolute contempt.
So they hide behind a curtain to do their drinking? What I want to know then is how do they conceal the smell of the Bar-be-que when they have a Pig Picken.
So if Muslims do not follow their religion and drink they are 'hypocrites' but when they do follow their religion and cultural mores they are 'inhuman' and 'backward'?
In reality Muslims are just like everyone else. They pick and chose the teachings of their religion they want. I know people here think all Muslims are alike. But they are no more all alike than Christians or Jews, or any other religious followers. The stonings, honor killings, etc. are not so much religious teachings as tribal customs reinforced with religious threats. Christianity has had the same over the centuries but we have grown out of them due to our 'globalization' and - wait for it - religious freedoms. The places where these customs thrive have been cut off from the world for centuries. These tribal customs are not practiced in the more 'advanced' Muslim countries.
My husband and I have lived all over the world. There are hypocrites everywhere. He is now in Istanbul. FYI - Turkey is famous for their wines. In fact, the first wines were probably first produced in that area of the world. All the Muslims he works with now drink alcohol. Not a big deal except for the extremists.
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Excellent points dsb.
Too many people are guilty of painting an entire group of people with the same brush.
They're hypocrites only if they openly denounce drinking but have no problems drinking behind a curtain.
Just 3% are non-muslims. Like the other 97% who are muslims don't buy and drink it...BS!
religion rape woman-beat women-children women no education-suicide top of the list think about it suicide wow let's blow ourselves up- by mom see you in hell-religion--------evolution education freedom children molested sickness everywhere religion
One see's the same in non religious countries as well.
Possibly religion, or non religion has nothing to do with it. The human drive to be always right might be the core issue to the problem. If one research's they find many fallacies in the arguments on both sides.
Murder happened with, as well as without religion, so did rape and all the other issues.Slavery. Before we came to america the American Indians had for thousands of years enslaved their own. When African Americans were brought here the American Indians had many black slaves. The Cherokee's took the slaves with them on the trail of tears. They were pretty much non religious the native Indians.
There are historical documents that show, once in Oklahoma, if a black slave was disobedient. The Cherokee's buried him alive.
No matter what religion, or non religion influence. People will always to horrible things to one another and they will always break laws, rather religious or not.
I KILL YOU!
The US needs to do this - alcohol licenses. Not based on religion, but based on past alcohol-related abuse, crimes (erm, DUIs), etc. Heck just slap a simple logo on everyone's licenses that shows whether or not they are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol!
I hear so often from our own extremists that ALL muslims are also extremists, and terrorists. But from what I've learned over 60 years here is that no matter the bearded cleric behind the smoke and mirrors, most human beings are pretty much looking for the same thing. Death, suffering and hatred aren't always among those desires. For a few? Sure. But you have to learn to spot those folks. "Know thy Enemy".
To Mike-2557769,
Keeping a low profile only encourages the conservatives to more extremism . Bring it out in the open and defy the extremists . That is the only way to defeat narrow mindedness.
What you said could be applied exactly to the knuckle dragging neanderthals in this country regarding marijuana legalization.