ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been unable to remove a restaurant built in a makeshift hut in I-9/4 on the land chosen for Islamabad’s slaughterhouse.

The land has been allocated for the establishment of the capital’s own slaughterhouse but over one kanal is being used by this restaurant which is operating under the ‘chappar’ hotel licence. The restaurant is not only operating on CDA land but is also openly advertising its popular product fish using neon signs.

Meanwhile, meat sellers lodged a complaint with the CDA Member Administration saying various CDA departments are causing delays in the construction of the slaughterhouse.

“There is no check on the quality of meat being sold in the city and the main reason is that there is no proper slaughterhouse in Islamabad,” Khursheed Qureshi, president of the All Pakistan Jamiatul Quresh Meat Welfare Association.

In his letter to the CDA, Mr Qureshi said the capital city’s population has grown to about 2.6 million and the slaughterhouse in Rawalpindi is insufficient to fulfill the growing demand for meat in Islamabad.

He said that proper arrangements must be made for quarantine and slaughter of animals using modern methods.

“Lack of regulation is the reason for growing complaints regarding spurious, unhygienic and even non-halal meat being sold in Islamabad,” he said. Mr Qureshi pointed out that we keep hearing about donkey meat being sold as beef or mutton but no report is confirmed through court action.

The CDA, ICT administration and meat sellers reached an agreement that after the establishment of a slaughterhouse in the city, only certified meat would be sold in the capital.

However, the sale of certified meat cannot be ensured unless a slaughterhouse is established. The CDA announced plans to construct a modern slaughterhouse in sector I-9/4. Waste generated at the slaughterhouse would be sold to dealers.

“Nothing would go to waste, from the blood to intestines all parts would be sold and the amount generated will help maintain the operations of slaughter house,” Mr Qureshi said. “But it is the responsibility of enforcement departments to cancel the licence of restaurant and clear the land,” he added.

Meanwhile, an enforcement official said the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) is responsible for the delay in clearing the land for the slaughterhouse as they are yet to forward the file to the enforcement department.

DMA Director told Dawn the owner of the restaurant, who is a licence holder, has obtained a stay order from court and so nothing can be done against this restaurant.

Published in Dawn March 25th , 2015

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