E-Malt.com News article: 1106

Murree Breweries, Pakistan’s largest brewery, is expecting that with the improvement in situation, it would be exporting a significant quantity of its beer production to India, Financial Express reported in a statement. “Why not? We would definitely likely to export our beer to India which has a vast market,” managing director of Murree Breweries and member of Pakistan’s National Assembly MP Bhandara said.

India consumed about 72,000 barrels of bear per annum and demand was growing at about 15-20 %. Murree Breweries is a listed company in Pakistan and its shares were quietly actively traded at Karachi Stock Exchange despite the fact that consumption of alcoholic beverage was prohibited for Muslims in the country.
Reports suggest that only Christians, non-Muslims and tourists are allowed to consume alcoholic beverage in Pakistan. Incidentally, consumption of alcoholic beverage was banned in 70s by Bhutto regime under pressure from fundamentalist. But it was reported that the liquor was available from special outlets.
Mr. Bhandara said beer production and consumption in Pakistan was very low. “We make enough beer in Pakistan in one year what an average sized brewery in Germany makes in three days,” he said.



21 May, 2003