The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) claimed on Sunday to have seized 420 kilograms of meat of dead animals near Darya Khan in Punjab and destroyed it at the designated dumping site, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

The selling of dead animals’ meat is common in many parts of the country, with police often carrying out raids to arrest the culprits. According to Islamic rulings, consumption of dead meat — meat from an animal that died other than by proper intentional slaughter or hunting — is impermissible.

APP reported citing PFA sources that on a tip-off, a raid was carried out with police assistance near Darya Khan and found 420kg of dead animals’ meat.

A veterinary doctor present at the scene confirmed that the animal had died before slaughter, the report added.

A case has been registered against the accused, APP added.

Last month, Chowk Sarwar Shaheed Patrolling Police had recovered 20 maund of dead animals’ meat from a van at Riazabad Chowk.

Patrol Police had arrested the driver of the van on the spot while the dead animal meat was being transported from Chowk Azam for supply to a local hotel in Multan.

On being informed, the PFA had also reached the spot and launched legal action. Patrol Police and the PFA disposed of the dead meat.

In November 2022, in a major operation conducted by the city administration in the wee hours of the morning on a tip-off, a team of the city district administration had seized a huge quantity of dead animals’ meat.

Since the meat was ready to be supplied to the city hotels, restaurants and markets, the team headed by the assistant commissioner (city) also got 11 people arrested at a cold storage where the meat, weighing two tonnes, was stored.