RAWALPINDI, Nov 5: The meat business in the city has been monopolized by a nexus of 12 people, who have been manipulating the prices and are behind the protest drive launched by the butchers, interviews with stakeholders in meat business suggest.

Butchers throughout the city purchase animals from these 12 people and the business is mostly done on credit. The butchers owe huge sums to these people, therefore they cannot act contrary to the latter’s interests.

The nexus has strong political clout because they use their wealth to finance the leading politicians of the city.

It is interesting to note that six of these 12 people were arrested from the municipal slaughterhouse, against which the butchers are protesting and have gone on strike. However, no sympathy has been expressed for over three dozen butchers, who were arrested from their shops located in different parts of the city.

The nexus controlling the meat business has not only been exploiting the butchers, but also the herdsmen.

Citing an example, a market committee official said the cheap rates at which the animals were bought could be judged from the statement of one of the persons arrested during the raid on the slaughter house, who revealed that he had sold 12 goats for a total amount of Rs2,500.

He said it was quite intriguing to note that mutton was being sold at Rs120 per kg in most of the Tehsils of the district like Taxila, Kahuta and Gujar Khan, but it could not be sold in Rawalpindi at the same price.

Besides, the official said, unhygienic practices were employed for increasing the weight of the slaughtered animals. “Contaminated water is pumped through the arteries to enhance weight,” he added.

On the other hand, the butchers, when contacted, denied that the situation had arisen due to the monopoly of a few people in the meat business. They said meat was being exported at very high rates ($8 per kg), which had caused shortage of meat in the country. The butchers say they are finding it difficult to supply meat at the rates prescribed by the district government.

Butchers end strike: Meanwhile, the butchers ended their shutterdown strike on Wednesday night after negotiations with the local administration, a representative of the butchers association told Dawn.

The talks were held at the office of district Nazim Raja Tariq Kiani.

According to the decisions taken at the meeting, a committee was constituted which would fix rates for the meat sellers. The committee comprises five members— two from the local administration and three from the Jamiat-ul-Quresh Meat Welfare Association. The body will meet on Fridays to fix the rates.

Similarly, it was also decided that those arrested in the raid on a slaughter house would be released. Cases against them will also be withdrawn.

The butchers representatives expressed satisfaction over the meeting and said all their demands were accepted by the Nazim. “We have ended the strike and our shops will be open from Thursday,” said the JQMWA general secretary, Mohammad Sadiq.

Earlier, in the day, the butchers continued their protest for the third consecutive day. They set up a protest camp near Liaqat Bagh.