ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Friday said apart from beef and mutton, the proposed slaughterhouse in Islamabad should also have a section for poultry.

The committee was informed by CDA Member Engineering Shahid Sohail that there was confusion and a controversy over the proposed slaughterhouse.

“This is not clear whether the CDA is responsible for operating the slaughterhouse or the Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI). If it is the domain of the MCI, it should pay the construction cost to the CDA,” Mr Sohail said.

When the committee members asked about the reasons for the delay in launching the project, the CDA official said the process was in its final stage in 2014 for the construction of the slaughterhouse at 1-/9/4 at a cost of Rs187.80 million.

However, due to objections by the residents the site of the slaughterhouse was shifted to I-11/4, and the revised cost on eight acres increased to Rs569.74 million.

“Apart from other installations, the slaughterhouse will have mutton and beef sheds on 16,107 square feet area,” he said.

The committee, chaired by Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi, noted that there were more complaints regarding poultry sector compared to beef or mutton.

“The bulk buyers of poultry such as hotels and marriage halls are always worried about the quality of chicken meat available in the markets,” the committee chairman said.

“There has to be a section for poultry too in the slaughterhouse.”

As the committee was informed about possible objections from meat sellers over inclusion of poultry in the slaughterhouse, the committee members noted that the world over meat and poultry were categorised together and same should be observed in Islamabad.

However, a subcommittee was formed to look into the proposal.

The issue of establishing a slaughterhouse has lingered for decades.

The capital administration has always accused butchers of slaughtering animals illegally.

But the meat sellers are of the view that there was no abattoir in the city where government officials could certify the health, age etc., of animals.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2018