In response to the recent news that Saudi Arabia is set to open its first liquor store in Riyadh, exclusively for non-Muslim diplomats, Pakistani celebrities are sharing their differing views on the unprecedented move. According to Islamic law, drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited for Muslims in the kingdom.
The decision, part of plans to boost tourism and diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy under the ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, has raised eyebrows and sparked debate worldwide. Actor, comedian and presenter Ahmad Ali Butt took to his Insta Story to express his disapproval of the move. “The end is near,” he said.
Actor Bilal Qureshi echoed these sentiments, adding a personal note by delving into his childhood in Saudi Arabia. “I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. I could have never imagined that this would happen there,” the actor wrote with a broken heart emoji on his IG Story.
Previously, alcohol was only available through diplomatic mail or on the black market. The government on Wednesday confirmed reports in state-controlled media that it had imposed new restrictions on alcohol imports inside diplomatic missions, Reuters mentionted.
Its International Communication Center (CIC) said the new regulations were introduced to tackle the illegal trade in alcoholic products and products received by diplomatic missions. “This new process will continue to provide and ensure that all diplomats of non-Muslim embassies have access to these products in specified quotas,” CIC said in a statement.
The statement did not refer to the planned liquor store, but said the new framework respected international diplomatic conventions. Vision 2030 also includes the development of local industries and logistics hubs and aims to add hundreds of thousands of jobs for Saudi nationals.
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