Toxic liquor kills 13 Pakistanis during festival

MULTAN, Pakistan, Oct 27 (Reuters) Armed police raided an illegal liquor outlet in the central Pakistani city of Multan today after 13 people died from drinking toxic alcohol during the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr.

Multan's Nishtar Hospital began admitting drunken patients on Monday evening as the Eid holiday began, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

''The patients were drowsy and short of breath,'' said Dr Imran Rafiq, adding that they had been poisoned by drinking contaminated liquor.

Although alcohol is officially banned for Muslims in Pakistan, both locally made and black-market imported liquor can be bought.

Poor people often resort to ''kuppi'', an illegally distilled spirit.

Police raided an illegal outlet early on Friday and arrested five people after a shootout, district police chief, Munir Ahmed Chisti said.

The poisonous alcohol was believed to have come from more than one source, and police expected to make more arrests.

REUTERS PDM BS1714