September 5, 2003	Friday	Rajab 7, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: The project of establishing the first grand meat market in the federal capital is stated to be in doldrums due to the negligence of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), a source in the authority told Dawn on Thursday.

The source said earlier the authority had announced that it would establish the market soon, but despite a passage of one year, the project was still in cold storage.

The CDA had approved the establishment of the market in G-9 sector on the request of Jamiatul Quresh Meatsellers Association (JQMSA), Islamabad. It had also approved the setting up of separate slaughterhouses for sheep and goat on the premises of the main slaughterhouse in Sihala. However, no practical step has so far been taken in this regard, the source said.

When contacted, a Capital Development Authority official said the project was delayed due to some legal constraints and non-fixation of prices of shops to be allotted to the butchers in the market.

He said the CDA wanted to set up a separate slaughterhouse in the urban area of Islamabad to eliminate the rising trend of illegal slaughterhouses.

He said the authority had agreed to provide about four kanals for the meat market. However, the shops would be set up by the meatsellers.

Meanwhile, an office-bearer of Jamiatul Quresh Meatsellers Association (JQMSA), Islamabad, said a number of illegal slaughterhouses had been established where animals were slaughtered under unhygienic conditions and their meat sent to the market without medical inspection.

The office-bearer said the CDA had earlier turned down a plea of the JQMSA regarding establishment of a slaughterhouse in the capital’s urban area, but, later gave its approval.