National Conference (NC) legislator Ahsan Pardesi has submitted a private member bill in the Assembly, seeking a ban on alcohol in Kashmir and other Muslim-majority areas of Jammu Kashmir.
According to news agency JKNS, Pardesi stated that the bill aims to protect the region’s cultural and religious values, arguing that alcohol consumption contradicts Kashmir’s traditional Sufi-Reshi ethos.
“The unrestricted sale of alcohol undermines our religious and social principles. Our cultural heritage has always opposed intoxicants, and this bill is a measure to preserve those values,” Pardesi said.
He further argued that alcohol contributes to crime, moral decline, and addiction, particularly affecting the youth. “Amid a growing drug crisis, the easy availability of alcohol will only exacerbate the problem,” he added.
The bill, spanning eight pages, is scheduled for discussion in the upcoming Assembly session. Pardesi also pointed out that residents of Lal Chowk have repeatedly expressed concerns about the high concentration of liquor shops in their locality compared to other parts of Kashmir.