KARACHI, Dec 14: Taking cognizance of a complaint by an NGO about the sale of unhygienic meat the Sindh Ombudsman held a meeting with Town Nazims of the city on Saturday.

The Ombudsman, Justice Haziqul Khairi, called the meeting after Shehri, an NGO, lodged a complaint against the sale of meat in unhygienic conditions around Soldier Bazaar. The complaint was lodged on October 5, 2000, said a press release.

“As there was not much improvement in conditions, a meeting was held on Saturday at which, among others, a number of Town Nazims of Karachi appeared,” it said.

The ombudsman called the meeting in furtherance of an earlier recommendation to the City Nazim to take necessary action and steps for enforcement of slaughter house by-laws of 1999 as notified by the defunct KMC on July 20, 2000.

The issue was discussed threadbare. Amir Nawab (Nazim SITE) and Azam Ali (Nazim Malir) informed that Town Nazims were responsible in the matter, but proper devolution of work/manpower had not taken place from the KMC to them. So the task was still carried out by an EDO and his staff without any liaison and coordination with them.

The ombudsman took serious note and expressed displeasure at the ignorance of Dr Azam, deputy district officer veterinary, who did not know the number of wholesale meat markets in the city.

The Nazim Malir Town alleged the veterinary staff of the defunct KMC (now the City District Government Karachi) were allowing the trade mafia to do things at their own will as the latter greased the palms of the former.

The Nazim Saddar Town, Farooq Faria, informed the meeting that on Chand Raat he had 25 men, involved in illegal slaughter of animals and sale of meat, arrested in Bhimpura area.

He added that police did not lodge FIR against these persons in the absence of health inspectors.

“Eventually, police released all of them after taking illegal gratifications from them,” he disclosed.

The meeting decided to direct an EDO to coordinate and establish liaison with all the Nazims on a rotation basis to ensure enforcement of laws and take steps to curb unauthorized/illegal slaughtering.

The EDO should also ensure hygienic conditions in retail as well as wholesale meat markets under intimation to the ombudsman.—APP