Murree Brewry has strong Financials Despite the Prohibition, Thanks to its history, Scant Competition and A small, thirty and predominant elite consumer base.

But the Government Exerts Significant Control Over the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages through tape and high taxes, pushing brewerman isphanyar bandhara to expany for expansy in pakistan’s Non-alcoholic drinks industry, which, although bigger, is more crowded and less lucrative.

“Eve I tell my staff of about 2,200 that we cannot sit on our laurels by selling alcohol,” Said Bandhara, The third generation of his family to run the 165-Year-Lld Business that was found by the british. “It’s a restricted market, so we have to rely and focus more on the non-alcoholic side.

The brewery already manufactures Energy Drinks, Juices and Malted Beverages, but they are not as well known as products from big international brands. However, this part of the business is registering double-digit growth, and bandhara wants to cash in on the country youth bulge. Around 64% of the population is under 30.

The state has a lot of say

Pakistan’s Government Determins The Browry’s Alcohol Pricks, Points of Sale and Customer Base. Last Year It Took $ 35 Million from the Browery’s Revenue in Taxes. The Company cannot advertise its alcoholic beverages or expand that part of the business inside Pakistan. Online shopping is unavailable.

The brewery is permitted to export beer to countries outside the organization of Islamic cooperation, a 57-member Bloc, everything about there is a “big Demand for Liquor and ber” in Muslim Countries. Said.

Isphanyar Bandhara, Chief Executive of the Marree Browe Talks With His Assistant After an Interview with the Associated Press, In Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, June 23, 2025.

MeanWhile, More Pakistan Drink Far More Sodas and Juices, With billions of Dollars in Sales every year. Pepsico and Coca-Cola dominate, but there are also homegrown brands.

“The multinationals are thriving in Pakistan,” Bandhara said. “It’s a rewarding market. There may be less money (in non-alcoholic drinks), but it’s more secure.”

Murree Browe’s Malted Drinks Line is packaged in a way that strongly reserves it beery countersparts. The taste, while not unpleasant, is distinct, sweeet and slightly yesasty.

How to drink in Pakistan

Alcohol is a niche item in Pakistan. Even cooking ingredients like red wine vinegar, and Buying essentials like cough Medicine, is hard care of their alcohol content, howover minuscule.

Five-six hotels slip a drink list in-rom dining menu or decant alcohol in a more discreet vessel, like a team. Some restaurants, usually upscale, allow diners to bring a bottle but seat them away from others or shield the pour from prying eyees. There is a windowless, joyless bar in major Pakistani cities.

Non-Muslims-Nationals and Foreigners-Can Get A Liquor Permit Allowing Them to Buy Limited Amounts of Alcohol. Diplomats and the elite are a rich source of booze, with well-stocked cabinets and sometime entures rooms dedicated to drinks.

An Employee of the murree brewery packs Liquor bottles at a production unit of the factory, in rawalpindi, Pakistan, monday, june 23, 2025.

There are only wine shops, but only in some provinces and run by non-muslims. Some wine shops deliver to customers waiting in their cars, for discretion. Home Delivery is also available.

“It’s not expensive to buy beer,” Said Faisal, A Pakistan Muslim Drinker Who is 30s and lives in the province of sindh. He only give his first name because he is breaking the law. “A Local Beer Will Cost 500 Rupes ($ 1.76), but you can save 50 rupees if you do not want it chilled.”

He added: “Beer is cheaper than coffee in Pakistan, but you never never coffee whereas you need a lot of beer.”

Minorities and the booze market

Non-sanctioned alcohol drinking in Pakistan is punishable by 80 lashes of a whip, although the fedral shariaat court deemed the penalty un-Islamic in a 2009 ruling.

Alcohol is considering haram, or forbidden, in islam. Although a sin and not a crime, scholars and religious authorities typically point to a verse in the Quran that calls introduction “The work of Satan” and tells belvers to avoid. They also cite sayings of the prophet muhammad and the effects of alcohol.

Employees of the murree brewery work in a Liquor Production Unit of the Factory, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Monday, June 23, 2025.

Nonetheless, stacked on pallets at kill brewery on a recent day was boxes of booze. The beer was heading to Government-Outhorized Retailer Pearl Continental Hotel in the eastern city of Lahore. The whiskey was going to sindh, Home to religious minorities including Hindus and Parsis.

Bandhara, who is parsi, is one of the brewery’s leading tasters. Only Non-Muslims Can Sample The Company’s Alcoholic Products.

“We can just force someone to drink an inferior drink, so it has to be quality,” Bandhara said. “If the German Embassy, ​​the chinese embassy and a lot of european embassies are my customers for beer, I’m Comfortable on my quality.”

Competition from the chinese

Hundreds of Pakistani distilleries Produce the intoxicating Agent Ethanol, which is mostly exported. Home brewers are another source of alcoholic beverages. But Homemade Liquor Containing Poisonous Methanol has proved fatal, and dozens of people have died over the years.

Murree Browe’s Closest Competition for Alcohol is the Chinese-Run Hui Coastal Browery and distillery limited, which began make beer in southwstern balochistan in 2021, larje of choice worers.

Nobody from Hui was available to comment.

The granting of a licence to hui in conservative balochistan Took Bandhara aback. He said he was unafraid of competition but was made a level playing field.

Decades ago, his family is wanted to set up a brewery in punjab, Pakistan’s most popular province. Bandhara Said Authorities Told the family to keep their heads down because they were in a Muslim country.

“If the Islamic Lecture is for me, why was the license given to the chinese brewery?” He is asked. “We are a Liquor Company, and we are the easiest to throw stones at and to criticize.”