Sindh

Pet owners, retailers slam ban on animal food import

Protesters in Karachi term locally available pet food unfit, urge authorities to allow medicated food's import

Our Correspondent May 22, 2022

The protesters claim that there is no alternative to the pet food, nor they can be classified as luxury items. PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI:

Pet owners, retailers, veterinarians and importers on Saturday staged a protest in Karachi against the ban on import of pet food, and asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the situation.

The protesters gathered outside the animal care center located in the DHA neighbourhood, holding placards inscribed with slogans against the ban.

Talking to media persons on the occasion, one of the protesters Danish Azhar said a total of 500 types of pet food worth $1 million are imported every year. "It doesn't lay any burden on the foreign reserves," he added.

Azhar further informed that the imported food comprises medicated one too and banning them wouldn't only put the animals at risk but deprive some 1,000 sellers of their livelihoods.

To a question, he said that there were some industries dedicated for the purpose but that they were not up to the mark or inexpensive than the imported items.

He highlighted that using substandard food causes the livestock to fall sick with digestive and other issues.

Sharing his views on the occasion, Muhammad Ali, an importer, said that there was a 10 per cent duty on the import of the food.

"The government should first set up an industry that can prepare pet food and then move to place the ban," he urged.

Owner of a pet, Samar Ghulam Ali confirmed that use of locally made items caused animals to fall sick. "It is imperative to lift the ban forthwith," she maintained.

On Wednesday, the federal government decided to impose a complete ban on the import of unnecessary and luxury items to deal with the country's unsettling economic woes.

The participants of the forum agreed to make tough decisions to deal with the depleting exchange reserves crisis and the falling rupee.

The business community also earlier urged the government to immediately put curbs on the import of luxury goods as the country was heading towards an economic chaos.

COMMENTS (15)

Sufian | 2 years ago | Reply Since the owners of such pets are from elite or upper class the government needs to put heavy taxation on these items. For so long Pakistan has put taxation on the middle and lower classes that this time the burden must be shared by those who have been gifted financially i.e elite class.

Sufiam | 2 years ago | Reply Since the owners of such pets are from elite or upper class the government needs to put heavy taxation on these items. For so long Pakistan has put taxation on the middle and lower classes that this time the burden must be shared by those who have been gifted financially i.e elite class.

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Faisal | 2 years ago | Reply In Pakistan even a human has no access to food what to talk about imported animal food inhuman and selfish gesture. Let the pets be trained on local food they can be trained animal have its rights but not on the cost of other humans.

Fouz | 2 years ago | Reply

Neko | 2 years ago | Reply There is a mistake in the sixth paragraph it s percent not per cent. There is something really wrong with Pakistanis grammar here and the habit of separating one whole word into two different ones which renders the sentence questionable. Kindly review it well before publishing next time.

Zahidaskar | 2 years ago | Reply Why cant their pers gave the food ither animals ear in this country. Why waste money on import

Djdjd | 2 years ago | Reply Why don t use locally produced food

Asad | 2 years ago | Reply

Sufian | 2 years ago | Reply I have kept cats and I keep hens nowadays and I never needed to feed them any imported food it could be because these pets are were local. One thing I would urge the government to do is to put significant taxation on these items. The elites have had it too good for a long long time. Let s start putting things right for Pakistan and the poor of this country.

Dr. Hamid Malik | 2 years ago | Reply Figure of 1million PET food annualy in Pakistan is grossely understated. In Lahore alone Rs6.7 billion Rupee imported feed is being consumed annualy. Karachi Islamabad other mega cities PET food consumption y can calculate yrself. If PET lovers wants to maintain PETS on imported feed then importers should pay 100 of that amount in to LC opening Bank. duties should be paid in by importer NOT to burden FE.

Kamran Paracha | 2 years ago | Reply Feed your pets what people used to feed them before petfood became common.

Sajjad Syed | 2 years ago | Reply How did people keep pets when they did not have imported pet foods. If you love your pets get up 15 min early and cook for them.

Atsul | 2 years ago | Reply What a shameful act of these people who can t find anything local to fee their pets. Same people will be going on social media posting comments about lack of equal rights and they think of their pets higher then other poor countrymen.

dhamial | 2 years ago | Reply Be aware that soon there will be no food medicine and essential imports for humans if you continue to waste valuable foreign exchange on pet trash.

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