MANSEHRA: The administration has arrested and fined many butchers for profiteering in Baffa-Pakhal tehsil.

A joint team of different departments led by assistant commissioner Arshad Mehmood raided butcher shops in Shinkiari, Dodial, Ichrian and other areas and arrested those charging beef buyers around Rs200 more than the rate fixed by the district price control and review committee.

Mr Mehmood told reporters that the committee headed by deputy Commissioner Dr Qasim Ali Khan had allowed the sale of beef with bones for Rs350 per kg but the held butchers illegally sold the beef with bones for Rs500 and boneless for Rs700 per kg.

“We have arrested dozens of butchers and fined many for making an unreasonable profit. The crackdown on profiteering will continue,” he said.

The official said though the committee didn’t allow the sale of boneless beef, the butchers sold it to make money.

Promising action against such butchers, he urged the people not to buy boneless beef.

VACCINATION WOES: The overseas Pakistanis working or settled in Saudi Arabia have complained that the vaccines administered by the government to the people in the country are not accepted by the kingdom.

They demanded that they be given only the jabs approved by Saudi authorities for visitors.

“Health centres in Mansehra, Abbottabad and other parts of Hazara division are disinclined to administer vaccines accepted by the Saudi government to us,” expatriate Noorul Hassan reporters here on Friday.

He was accompanied by a group of Pakistani workers from Saudi Arabia, who insisted that they’re being denied visas or air tickets for not having the sought-after vaccination certificates.

Overseas Pakistani Shakeel Ahmad also said the Saudi authorities accepted AstraZeneca vaccine but the health facilities in the region didn’t administer that to people from the 18-40 age bracket.

He said the expats received Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino jabs, which were of no use for foreign travel.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2021