Alcohol and Drugs History Society

Violence forces Pathan teashops to close in Karachi

Pathan teashops (chaikhanas) in Karachi have been the victims of ethnic and political violence.  Pathans originally from Quetta have suffered the most.  For details, see here.

Pakistani bootleggers at risk from police, the Taliban, and their own families

Pakistani bootleggers earn high profits at great risk: from the police, from the Taliban (who formerly tolerated whiskey drinking), and from their own families who might disown them.  The contraband whiskey, beer, and other alcoholic drinks comes largely from foreign embassies.  By the way, vodka has less prestige.  For more, see here.

A bonfire of drugs in Kabul

"In the foothills north of Kabul, six and a half tonnes of heroin, opium and hashish were set ablaze..." It was "...a minuscule triumph, a small victory against the traffickers." See the Al Jazeera article here.

Obama Plan for U.S. Military - Help Eradicate Afghan Opium

The Times of India explains the setting, and the new U.S. administration's desires here.

Café Coffee Day looks forward to Starbucks competition in India

Café Coffee Day currently has 400 coffee outlets in India and plans to open another 250 this financial year. It also has thousands of Coffee Day Xpress vending machines (and two subsidiary-owned coffee shops in Pakistan and, as its beachhead in Europe, three in Vienna). Café Coffee Day looks forward to the entry of Starbucks into the Indian market as it believes that Starbucks will persuade customers to accept much higher prices for coffee drinks. For more, see here.

Taryak opium in Pakistan

A form of opium caled taryak has long been popular among gangsters in the Lyari neighborhood of Karachi, Pakistan, because it allowed users to remain awake. Recently it has spread to the district's youth. For more, see here.

Indian coffee chain opens shop in Pakistan

Through a local partner India's largest coffee house chain, Cafe Coffee Day, has opened its first shop in Pakistan at Karachi. Cafe Coffee Day sees great possibility for growth in an Islamic country which bans alcohol. It has 364 coffee shops (which it calls coffee lounges) in India. Other than the new Pakistan store, Cafe Coffee Day's only international coffee shop is located at Vienna, a symbolic foothold in one of Europe's traditional coffee centers. For more, see here.

Pakistan's 21-year-old "Scotch" single malt

The only whiskey distillery in Pakistan located at Rawalpindi is now selling a 21-year-old "Scotch" whiskey. Legally, it can be sold only to non-Muslims (about 5% of the country's population, plus foreigners residing in Pakistan) but much of it is resold to Muslims who drink alcohol despite the ban ordained by their religion. The government of Pakistan, officially an Islamic state, won't allow the whiskey to be exported, although there probably would be a market among people of South Asian origin who live in the West. The whiskey is produced by Murree Brewery which began in 1860 at a hill station in the old British India where beer was brewed for British soliders serving in the locality. Nearly all the more than 400 workers at the brewery and distillery are Muslims who at least officially are non-drinkers. For more, see here.

Ban on smoking in public places in Pakistan

Pakistan soon will implement a ban on smoking in public places including transport. For more, see here.

Pakistan, Egypt eye India's tea

Drought in Kenyan is forcing the Pakistan and Egyptian markets to look to India for tea, and a Pakistani delegation is likely to visit India in mid-April to look at options for importing Indian tea.

Read more.