Pakistan's Historic Brewery Wins Approval To Export Alcohol After Decades-Long Ban

Last Updated:December 25, 2025, 13:29 IST

Alcohol sales in Pakistan are officially restricted to non-Muslim religious minorities and foreigners, though illegal sales and production remain widespread

Test shipments sent to Japan, Britain, Portugal to build global brand presence. (Representational Image)

Pakistan’s oldest brewery has secured permission to export alcohol for the first time in nearly half a century, a move that marks a major shift for the country’s tightly-regulated alcohol industry.

Murree Brewery, established in 1860 during British rule, has been allowed to resume alcohol exports after a 50-year ban was lifted. The decision is aimed at boosting foreign currency earnings for Pakistan, where alcohol production and sales are heavily restricted.

The company’s chief, Isphanyar Bhandara, who is its third-generation owner, described the development as the result of years of effort. He said his grandfather and father had also tried to secure export permission but were unsuccessful, making the new licence both an emotional and commercial milestone for the family-run business.

Bhandara has previously said he was taken aback in 2017 when a Chinese-run brewery received approval to produce alcohol in Pakistan, largely for Chinese workers involved in major infrastructure projects. That experience strengthened his resolve to push for an export licence for Murree Brewery.

The company operates out of Rawalpindi, opposite the official residence of Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, in one of the country’s most secure areas. Murree’s annual revenue exceeds $100 million, with just over half generated through alcohol sales. The remainder comes from non-alcoholic beverages and bottle manufacturing.

Alcohol sales in Pakistan are officially restricted to non-Muslim religious minorities and foreigners, though illegal sales and production remain widespread and have occasionally resulted in deaths from toxic liquor. Despite the challenges, Murree Brewery has continued operations and built a strong brand presence over the decades.

Before the export ban was imposed, the brewery supplied products to India, Afghanistan, Gulf nations and the United States. Bhandara said the company had once exported beer to Kabul, something that would be unthinkable under today’s Taliban rule.

Murree has now begun test shipments to Japan, Britain and Portugal. The company says its focus at this stage is not immediate profit but understanding international markets and establishing the brand globally. With advertising banned domestically, the brewery views overseas promotion as a rare opportunity to build visibility.

Murree Brewery employs around 2,200 people and is exploring markets across Europe, Asia and Africa as it prepares for a new chapter in its 165-year history.

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