Thousands of cattle smuggled daily

Illicit transport of livestock and cattle across Pakistan’s borders continues unabated.


Shezad Baloch September 20, 2010

QUETTA: An anti-smuggling resolution passed by the Balochistan Assembly has failed to curb the illicit transport of livestock and cattle across Pakistan’s borders with Iran and Afghanistan.

Every day thousands of cattle cross the border into both Iran and Afghanistan, with the connivance of civilians and officials.  Trucks bearing cows, sheep, buffaloes and goats, queue up in Chaman Township, an area bordering Afghanistan, and Taftan town, which shares a border with Iran. According to the media, more than a million animals are smuggled annually to Afghanistan and Iran from the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakthunkhwa.

The customs collector of Quetta, Hafiz Matiullah, said: “We lack manpower, so it is impossible to seal the entire 1,700-kilometre long border with Afghanistan and Iran. Customs staff only check legal export in Taftan and Chaman townships and is already working beyond their capacity.” There is no way for the small staff of 200 to cover the entire border, even with the assistance of the Frontier Corps (FC), he added. The export of commodities is usually pegged to domestic consumption. “If production outstrips domestic consumption, we allow exports and when the commodity is scarce, we ban exports,” explained Sarwar Brohi, director-general of the Trade and Development Authority. Those looking to export any commodity must apply for regular permits issued by the Trade and Development Authority. Nowadays, the government allows export of livestock to companies paying income tax, he added.

“But in the case of livestock, special permits were issued to political figures, with a lone person from the government responsible for issuing all permits and therefore giving smuggling a legitimate face,” claims Brohi. “He must mint millions every day,” spat out a furious butcher. “The smuggling has depleted stocks so much that the prices of beef and mutton have skyrocketed beyond the reach of ordinary people,” he said.

Mahmood Khan, another butcher, told The Express Tribune that the price of mutton per kilogramme had risen to Rs460, while beef had risen to Rs300, due to smuggling. Since influential personalities are involved, there is no hope of the situation changing, he added.

Last year, the government allowed only export of animals for meat purposes and prohibited exports of productive female species, but that did not prevent the smuggling of female livestock, an official said.

A senior journalist of the province, Saleem Shahid, said Afghanistan used to export livestock to Pakistan, but changes in demand have resulted in cattle being smuggled, in large numbers, to Iran and Afghanistan. He suggested that the government should take concrete steps to stop the smuggling, otherwise livestock would deplete to an alarming level, worsening the situation.

However, the livestock department secretary, Zafarullah Baloch, denied the depletion of livestock in Balochistan, saying instead that it is increasing. He also refused to accept responsibility for curbing smuggling. “Smuggling of animals is not our area of responsibility. It should be controlled by the federal government that issues permits of exports,” he said.

Brohi expressed serious concern regarding smuggling. “When the subject was under the purview of the commerce ministry, we had a complete record of imports and exports, but now no one knows how many animals are being exported and how many remain in the country.”

“There is a dire need for hide, skin and certain internal organs of animals. The prices of beef and meat have also climbed up,” he said, adding that it was leaving a negative impact on the provincial economy as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2010.

COMMENTS (7)

Ameer Hamza | 13 years ago | Reply It was clear to me that the cattle was being taken to Iran without any permits or any other document right in front of FC, when i was at the border this June. The border is sluggish, rickety place named Koh-e-Taftan and smuggling of animals is good. But nothing gets in here from Iran except the oil, which is approved by Tehran government. So the logical step would be to have impartial, nicely paid officials at the border. That's it.
Jabbar Kakar | 13 years ago | Reply Smuggling is done with the consent of government officers. It is the "rahdari" system which is responsible for smuggling. Touts are sitting outside the District Officers offices in Chaman, Noshki, Dalbadin and Panjgur to issue such "Rahdaries" after getting the bribe. Cattle smuggling is very small part of the game. There is Oil, Gun running, drugs, carpets, luxury items, rice, human smuggling and the list is never ending. Bureaucracy and corruption goes hand in hand. They are corrupt to the core from top to bottom.
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