‘Illegal’ abattoir allegedly slaughtering sick animals
There are reports about the illegal slaughterhouse established in the Cattle Colony in the area of Sukhun police station. Meat of unhealthy animals is being supplied to different areas of the city by allegedly slaughtering animals suffering from infectious diseases and that are near death.
Some influential people are said to be involved in this heinous business of playing with human health and precious lives, meat traders said requesting anonymity.
Animals suffering from diseases and near death are being slaughtered in the private slaughter house adjacent to the cattle market at Cattle Colony Road No10.
According to sources, there are almost a million buffaloes in thousands of cattle pens in the Cattle Colony. If a buffalo gets sick, the owners instead of bearing medical expenses sells it to the slaughterhouse at very cheap rate.
Sources explained that sick animals are not allowed to be brought to the two government controlled slaughter houses in Karachi.
Officially, there are two slaughterhouses in Karachi - the City Abattoir Cattle Colony in Landhi and the New Karachi Slaughterhouse - which are also referred to as kamailas. While both slaughterhouses are primarily run by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the Landhi slaughterhouse is being run by private contractors. Under the contract, KMC receives 60% of the collected revenue while the rest goes to the private firm.
There is one golden rule at the two official slaughterhouses - the animal should walk into the facility. If it falls or falters on the way, it will be sent back. This is the principle which governs the thriving meat business in the city that officially consumes at least 1,200 cows and buffaloes and around 3,000 to 4,000 smaller animals, such as goats and sheep, on an average each day
At the KMC-controlled abattoirs, doctors of the Sindh veterinary department also put an official stamp on the meat before the traders take it out for hauling on the trucks and onwards to markets.
However, there are reports that unscrupulous elements use forged KMC stamps at the illegal slaughterhouse which they apply on the meat on their own.
It has also been reported that if an animal is near death, the owners of the cattle pen slaughters it and then sells it to this slaughterhouse where the owners cut it up supply it to various restaurants and eateries in city outskirts.
According to the sources, in the past, the Sukhun police had raided the said slaughterhouse and closed it and registered a case against the local leader of the political party, Javed Iqbal alias Kaku, among others, but due to political influence and bribery transactions, later the slaughterhouse was reopened.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 22nd, 2023.