February 06, 2008	Wednesday	Muharram 27, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: Poultry meat and eggs are safe for use and there is no threat of bird flu outbreak.

This was stated by President World Poultry Science Association Pakistan branch Dr Mohammad Sadiq at a press conference here on Tuesday.

“There is not a possibility of bird flu outbreak and the panic is being spread on flimsy and incomplete information,” Dr Sadiq said, adding that there was not a report of any casualty in any corner of the world by merely touching the affected meat.

He said the WHO reports suggested that the virus of avian influenza could not change its form quickly. He said the government had established 18 monitoring centres throughout the country to check the virus.

Dr Sadiq said about 25,000 poultry farms existed in the country with 160 million chickens, while around 2.5 million chickens per day were being sold.