SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Fayaz Ahmed Mir from Kupwara and National Conference (NC) MLA Ahsan Pardesi have introduced a private memberโs bill in the Assembly, calling for a total prohibition on alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir.
The bill, initially drafted by PDP MLA Mir, proposes a blanket ban on the promotion, sale, purchase, consumption, and production of alcoholic beverages across the Union Territory.
Expressing deep concern over the rising alcohol consumption, Mir warned that it poses a significant risk to society, especially to the younger generation.
He urged lawmakers to act decisively to curb this growing issue. The proposed legislation includes strict punitive measures, such as imprisonment and substantial fines, for violators.
In a parallel move, NC MLA Ahsan Pardesi has also submitted a private memberโs bill advocating for a prohibition on alcohol, particularly in Kashmir and other Muslim-majority areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pardesi argued that alcohol consumption contradicts the regionโs deeply rooted Sufi-Rishi traditions and erodes its cultural and religious ethos.
The bills are expected to be tabled during the upcoming Assembly Budget Session.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has voiced strong support for these proposals.
G.N. Monga, senior vice president of JKPCC, told The New Indian that the Congress party would endorse the bills introduced by PDP and NC legislators.
โGiven Jammu and Kashmirโs rich cultural and religious heritage, particularly its profound Sufi influences, and the escalating drug abuse crisis, there is an urgent need for stringent laws to regulate alcohol consumption,โ Monga stated.
He reiterated the partyโs commitment to backing the proposed legislation.
