There are moments in history when something as simple as a bottle — humble, unassuming — can become a quiet witness to change. In the old industrial heart of Rawalpindi, where brick walls remember the footfalls of generations, a familiar procession of green-and-red cans now moves with renewed purpose down the brewery’s conveyor belts. For decades, this steady rhythm was meant solely for a domestic audience; now, those same cans are bound for distant ports and unfamiliar shores.

Murree Brewery, Pakistan’s oldest and best-known producer of beer, has resumed exporting its product after nearly half a century of prohibition on alcoholic exports. Founded in the late 19th century during colonial rule and passed into local hands at the birth of Pakistan in 1947, the brewery has long existed in a complicated space — legally permitted to brew for non-Muslim residents and foreigners, while alcohol remains generally banned for the country’s Muslim majority. The export ban, in place since 1977, was rooted in a belief that an Islamic republic should not be seen outwardly trading in what many within its borders deemed a “vice.”

Yet, like a river that eventually finds its way around an obstacle, change came through shifts in policy and perspective. A 2022 adjustment to Pakistan’s export policy allowed alcohol to be sent abroad to countries not within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, opening a path once again for Murree’s wares to reach international markets. The first shipments — to the United Kingdom, followed by Portugal and Japan — now symbolize both a commercial step forward and a kind of cultural turning point, where economic opportunity complements tradition.

For the Bhandara family, which has stewarded the brewery for generations, these shipments are more than goods in transit; they are markers of persistence and adaptation. The firm’s leader has spoken of cautious optimism as export channels steadily expand, even while acknowledging the narrow domestic market and the sensitivities tied to the business’s unique context. Outside Pakistan, Murree’s beer is poised to be both a curiosity and a reminder of how old legacies can find fresh expression.

This development also reaches beyond the brewery’s walls to touch broader economic themes. For a nation seeking revenue and diversification, the ability to export such products contributes to trade and mirrors wider conversations about how tradition and modern commerce can intersect. And so, amid the hum of machines and the swirl of export paperwork, one hears not just the clink of cans but the quiet resonance of change taking shape in a world of shifting norms.

In a gentle reminder of the interplay between history and the present, this renewed export move reflects decisions by policymakers, perceptions of markets abroad, and the enduring will of a business rooted in its community.

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Sources NPR / OPB / GPB / KPBS / KALW syndicated news coverage on Pakistan’s Murree Brewery export resumption.