QUETTA: The Excise and Taxation Department of Balochistan has revealed that over 2.8 million liters of beer and 400,000 gallons of liquor were sold in the province during the fiscal year 2023–24, generating more than Rs1.02 billion in tax revenue.
According to official data presented in the Balochistan Assembly, the Excise Department has issued 58 licenses for liquor sales across 10 cities of Balcohistan.
The figures reveal that Quetta accounted for the highest sales, with 178,867 gallons of liquor and 729,167 liters of beer sold in the city. Hub followed with 106,400 gallons of liquor and 805,400 liters of beer sold. In Dera Allah Yar, 35,800 gallons of liquor and 105,500 liters of beer were sold during the same period.
The department currently charges Rs2,160 per gallon in excise tax on liquor. The revenue collected from alcohol sales represents a significant portion of the department’s earnings, highlighting the scale of legally regulated alcohol consumption in the province despite strict cultural and religious norms.
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The data has sparked conversations about the licensing system and its economic impact, especially in a province where alcohol consumption is largely restricted but permitted for non-Muslim minorities under controlled regulation.
