Butchers rule the roost at Adiala

Rawalpindi

Butchers mafia is openly selling unhygienic water filled meat in localities nearby Adiala Road thus playing with the lives of people while on the other hand, the city district government, Rawalpindi, has completely failed to stop this business.

Meanwhile, butchers are also committing another violation of law by slaughtering animals here not only the in open but also in residential areas of Adiala Road spreading bad smell all around.

Health experts say that water filled meat may cause dangerous diseases like typhoid, hepatitis, diarrhoea and different kinds of infections.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Slaughterhouse General Manager Dr Farrukh has admitted that several private slaughterhouses were operational in different areas of the twin cities where illegal animal slaughtering was underway. He also admitted that butchers are selling water filled meat which was dangerous for human health. “We are trying to control this situation and registering cases against butchers,” he claimed.

It is worth mentioning here there are around 100 butcher shops around Adiala Road and they are slaughtering their animals in their own private slaughterhouses so that they could be able to fill water in slaughtered animals. Some of butchers are slaughtering their animals here on footpaths near Khawaja Corporation Stop, Jarahi and Ali Town Stop. The butchers fill water through throat vein to increase the weight of meat, it has been learnt reliably.

The unlicensed slaughterhouses are spread in the villages without any proper plan. They do not provide any facilities and are devoid of a qualified veterinary officer. The slaughtering of livestock in city is done in the streets and at shops. Butchers prefer to slaughter animals at their convenience. The butchers throw the wastage of slaughtered animals in open areas spreading foul smell all around.

According to the West Pakistan Slaughter Control Act 1963, the slaughtering of small and large ruminants should strictly be undertaken in the recognised places with ante-and-post-mortem veterinary inspection.

Jamiat Al-Quresh President Khurshid Qureshi has strongly condemned slaughtering of animals in open or residential localities. He advised all butchers to slaughter their animals in proper slaughterhouses. He also condemned selling of water filled meat.

According to the Pakistan Slaughterhouse Act of 1983, the killing of animals outside the boundary of slaughterhouses is prohibited. Recognised slaughterhouses usually provide separate buildings for slaughtering large and small animals.