Reports about sale of dog meat in Korangi false, claims KMC

Karachi
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s (KMC) veterinary services department has dismissed the news pertaining to the sale of dog meat in Korangi No 4 by “two butchers” aired by a private television channel on Monday afternoon.
The KMC’s director of veterinary services, Imran Qadeer, said the suspects arrested were not butchers but drug addicts, and the news aired by the television channel was baseless.
He said for the past couple of months, the KMC’s veterinary services department has been carrying out inspections in markets as part of a drive to curb the sale of meat unfit for human consumption.
“The teams have been visiting Korangi area for the past two days after receiving some tips but have not found any unhygienic meat.
I can assure you that dog’s meat is not sold in Korangi or anywhere around the area,” he said. “It is impossible. Dog’s meat has an unbearable smell and people can’t stand it, let alone buy it. The report was false... probably aired to boost ratings.”
On the other hand, the Ibrahim Hyderi police who arrested the two suspects for alleged sale of dog meat in
Korangi No 4 claimed they were contacted by the television channel with the information.
According to SI Muhammad Kamal, the suspects
were identified as 42-year-old Imran and 28-year-old Ashraf Ali.
He said a private news channel contacted the police station and told us that they had witnessed the sale of dog meat by two men.
“Police officers then went to the location and arrested the men,” he said. “We know the suspects. They are drug addicts. But they don’t have prior record for this kind of activity.”
Quoting the statement of one of the suspects, SI Kamal said he had been at a garbage dump when the team of a local news channel forced him to skin dogs.
Kamal said the suspects claim that when they refused to entertain the television crew, they beat them up and called the police
He said it was yet to be ascertained whether the suspects were actually selling dog meat.
However, he said, a case has been registered and investigations are under way.