KARACHI, Nov 6: Speakers at a seminar on Need for a comprehensive meat policy refuted meat merchants’ claim that was a shortage of animals in the country. They blamed butcher community for the hike in meat prices.

The seminar, organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation at its Vicky Zeitlin Media Library on Thursday, observed that the city government had failed to chalk out a comprehensive policy with regard to animal slaughtering and the sale and transportation of meat.

Nasim Hyder, a member of the committee established by Sindh Ombudsman to prepare and put forward recommendations for an improvement in the overall situation, spoke of the extremely unhygienic conditions at slaughter houses and means of transportation for the consumable meat.

He criticized the city government for its indifference towards a policy for slaughter houses. Butchers do not wear a uniform while slaughtering animals whereas most of the slaughter houses do not have essential facilities like potable water and toilets, he added.

Buffalo meat is sold openly in various markets as cow meat and sheep meat is mixed with goat meat, he observed and attributed such malpractices to the apathy on the part of relevant officials.

Mr Hyder said that food outlets and restaurants in posh localities generally used grade ‘A’ meat while those in middle-class dominated areas used grade B. Meat of Grade C and D is consumed by common man, he added.

Referring to the claim by the Meat Merchants Welfare Association (MMWA) that live animals are being smuggled out of the country on a large scale, he observed that there was no evidence to supplement the claim. He said the market position in neighbouring countries, Iran and Afghanistan, showed that there was no dearth of animals there to the extent that Pakistani animals could be smuggled to these countries. He said this claim was a lame excuse to justify the increase in meat prices.

Nasim Hyder suggested setting up of a high-powered commission to formulate a comprehensive meat policy for Karachi.

EDO Raeesuddin Paracha, who is also the convener of a committee constituted by the City Nazim to investigate meat affairs, said that as Pakistan had surplus animals for local markets, the meat crisis was artificial.

He stressed the need for bring to an end the monopoly of one community in meat market. He observed that this community controlled almost entire meat business in the city. If other people are brought in, this would create a healthy competition and meat prices would certainly come down.

Mr Paracha said: “Even if meat merchants’ claim about shortage of animals is accepted, meat can be imported from India through Wahgah border in refrigerated trucks to cater to the local needs.” He urged private sector to come forward in this respect.

Speaking at the seminar, General Secretary of the MMWA Iqbal Qureishi contended that official meatless days was a proof of animal shortage prevailing in the country. The shortage, he added, was result of the four-year drought in Thar and Balochistan which wiped out animals. He stood by his claim that animals were being smuggled to Afghanistan via NWFP. He further claimed that at least 70 truckloads of animals crossed into Afghanistan and Iran every day. “The requirement of meat in Karachi is fulfilled now only by animals from interior of Sindh and Punjab,” he added.

He pointed out that people of the areas other than Karachi would pay Rs 32,000 for a buffalo but local meat merchants could not pay such a big amount for a single buffalo. Due to the situation, he said, meat sellers demanded a ban on animals trading by outsiders in local markets.

Mr Qureishi blamed the city government for not maintaining slaughter houses despite charging a fee of Rs4 for a goat and Rs12 for a cow or buffalo brought there for slaughtering.

He claimed that meat merchants themselves had to maintain slaughter houses. “We are ready to pay even a higher per animal fee if city government brings about improvement in the conditions at slaughter houses.”—PPI