KARACHI, March 25: The Landhi slaughterhouse had been completed 26 years ago, but it is yet to be made operational.

The slaughterhouse is spread over an are of 100 acres. Work, under the supervision of the KMC, on it began in 1965. It was meant to ensure the supply of hygienic meat to Karachi, whose population in 1965 was between 3 to 3.5 million.

A temporary slaughterhouse was established under shades by the KMC administration when the abattoir was being built. The construction of the abattoir was completed in 1976.

However, the temporary shades in Landhi have become permanent slaughterhouses.

There are two official slaughterhouses in the city. Both work in unhygienic conditions if international standards are to be taken into account. About 4,000-5,000 goats/lamb and 1,500 cows and buffaloes are slaughtered in Landhi slaughterhouses. About 200 animals are slaughtered in the New Karachi slaughterhouse.

There is no official figures available for the number of animals slaughtered daily in the city and also for the number of meat sale outlets in the city.

According to an official of the veterinary department, butchers slaughter animals in almost all the middle and lower-middle class localities in the city. Famous areas in this regard are Liaquatabad, Lyari, Burnes Road, Mauripur and Sohrab Goth.

An important reason that is stalling the operation of the Landhi abattoir is opposition from butchers’ associations. Butchers see the official slaughterhouse as a threat to their interests.

The abattoir was built at a cost of Rs35.4 million. All machinery and equipment were imported from the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

It has the capacity of slaughtering and processing 4,000 lamb/goats and 400 other animals in a single shift of eight hours.

The main departments of the abattoir are blood-processing unit, tallow rendering, condemned meat rendering, auction mart, cold storage facilities for 72 tons of beef and 45 tons of mutton.

The abattoir is not listed in the brochure of potential investment opportunities available in Karachi.

The brochure has been prepared by the department of local and foreign investors.—PPI