Pakistan-Meat market closure.

PAKISTAN

MEAT MARKET MAY BE CLOSED

Around 20,000 sheep and goats are slaughtered every week in the city of Lahore in Pakistan, along with a further 1200 cattle and buffalo. A large percentage of this meat is sold in the Wahdat Colony Market in the city center and this has been the case for the last 150 years.

The animals are slaughtered at night and the meat sold fresh the following morning, which has been the tradition for generations.

The city council of Lahore has been trying to improve the cleanliness and health factors, on the meat stalls of the butchers, in recent years, with little success.

The main problems are flies, as well as general cleanliness and the government have threatened if things are not cleaned up, they will close the market.

All meat must now be covered in stocking-net prior to sale and the stalls must have a plastic surface as opposed to the wooden tables.

The District Co-ordination Officers (DCO) or Meat Inspectors, now do daily inspections throughout market.