LAHORE, Nov 18: It sounds a little weird at the first moment but it is a fact that most of city butchers sell water-fed mutton.

And what makes unwary customers to buy the water-fed mutton is its price —- Rs100 to Rs 110 per kilogram —- against the market rate of Rs120 to Rs130 per kg.

The method of mixing water into meat is simple but cruel and it is forbidden in Islam which sets some pre-conditions to slaughter an animal.

Those indulging in the practice cut the throat of an animal first and then immediately open its chest to cut the main artery connected to the heart. Then a hose-pipe is put into the artery to rush water into the body. And this is done when the blood is still gushing out of the cut jugular vein. The animal is not skinned or cut into pieces till it ceases to move so that all blood is gushed out of the cut throat.

Those knowing the trick say the method is applied before the animal stops jerking because its movement helps send water everywhere into the body. It is impossible to do so otherwise as veins are blocked once the animal is ‘cold’.

The water-fed mutton looks pink and healthy. Its price is too luring but it is hard to cook as it is damaged by excess water inside its tissues.

One can detected water-fed mutton not only by the less price but also from the size of the animal which appears huge. The meat appears swollen, tight and shinning.

Such mutton is being sold openly at various places mainly in the Walled City’s Bhati Gate, Mori Gate, Lohari Gate, Mozang and many other places. And most of these animals are slaughtered at home which is again a violation of the municipal rules.