Pakistan-Substandard meat problems.

PAKISTAN-The inhabitants of Rawalpindi have demanded of the concerned authorities to take action against the butchers who are selling substandard meat at higher rates in the city.

They said that around 90 per cent of butchers sell substandard meat and they slaughter animals at their places instead of proper government owned slaughterhouses.

Former District Price Control Committee Chairman Haji Jamal said that 90 per cent butchers were playing with the lives of innocent citizens. "Mostly butchers slaughter animals in homes in Bagh Sardaran, Jamia Masjid Road, Pirwadhai, Asghar Mall and in some other localities. The animals that they slaughter at their private places are mostly sick and old and not suitable for human consumption that is why the butchers avoid bringing such animals to proper slaughterhouse," he added.

Dr Manzoor Ahmed Khokhar of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, said that people could suffer from Hepatitis-B and C and other stomach ailments after using low quality meat.

According to a survey conducted by ’The News’ low quality meat is being sold in Bagh Sardaran, Pirwadhai, Dhoke Ratta, Kamalabad, Tench Bhatta, Dhoke Banaras, Sadiqabad, Jamia Masjid Road, Purana Qila, Sabzi Mandi, Banni and some other areas on higher rates. One kilogram of mutton is being sold at Rs280 to Rs300 against government rate of Rs250 and beef is being sold at Rs170 to Rs200 against fixed price of Rs120. According to official statistics there are around 1,200 butchers’ shops in Rawalpindi city, but most of them slaughter animals at their places rather at proper slaughterhouses.

Muhammad Ahmed Qureshi, a butcher told ’The News’, "We cannot afford bringing animals to the slaughterhouse because it is costly. Secondly, we try to meet all legal formalities for slaughtering the animals at our places."

Executive District Officer Agriculture and In-charge Meat Quality Control Department Dr Hameedullah Shah said, "It is a fact that butchers slaughter animals at their own places. But it is also not their fault there are only two slaughterhouses in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which could not meet the requirement of the whole city. If the number of slaughterhouses is increased then we can hope the violations would come to an end." He also demanded of the Government of Punjab to authorise veterinary doctors to impose fine on the spot, if they find any anomalies in slaughtering procedure.

Riaz Ahmed Awan, a resident of Bagh Sardaran, said that butchers mostly slaughter old and sick animals and the meat is unsuitable for health. The authorities should take action against butchers for such violations, he said.

Baboo Ramzan, a resident of Saddar, said that it was the mistake of concerned authorities for not checking the butchers properly who were playing with the lives of the people.