Bird flu strikes again, this time in a Malir farm

A case of bird flu has been reported in Malir and 2,500 chickens at the Mashallah poultry farm were culled after confirmation of the avian influenza virus, H5N1. The confirmation report was received Saturday, while samples were collected Thursday.

Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) spokesman Abdul Rauf Siddiqui told Daily Times that Uni poultry farm and the Pakistan Rangers poultry farm had been sealed off after the H5N1 outbreak to prevent further transmission. However, the virus could have been transmitted through pigeons, kites, crows or stray dogs.

Siddiqui said that every possible effort was made to prevent the spread of the virus but there could have been some negligence. He cited a lack of vaccination as a possible cause for the new threat and said that the PPA is prepared to educate poultry farmers on a wider scale to ensure that the vaccination process is not ignored.

"The virus was first found in layer birds then breeder chickens and now the broiler chicken has been affected," said Siddiqui.

Karachi Poultry Wholesalers Association (KPWA) Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen told Daily Times that there are 1,000 retail shops in the city slaughtering 400,000 chickens daily. He said that the poultry industry has suffered losses of more than Rs 125 billion since January 2008.

"The birds at Mashallah poultry farm were all culled on the basis of doubt before it was confirmed pathologically. The government is not offering the poultry industry any assistance, moral or financial. It is the second largest industry in the country and is on the verge of closure," said Yaseen.