Butchers welcome crackdown on donkey meat

The Jamiatul Quresh Meat Welfare Association has welcomed the Islamabad Food Authority's action against the sale of donkey meat, calling for the urgent establishment of a proper slaughterhouse in the city to prevent such incidents.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the association said an emergency meeting was held under the chairmanship of President Khurshid Ahmad Qureshi at its central office in Aabpara Market.

The meeting was attended by senior office-bearers of the association.

Qureshi said the association has been demanding a government-run slaughterhouse in Islamabad for three decades.

He alleged that some foreign criminal elements were involved in the illegal meat trade and must be dealt with through strict legal action.

He emphasised that the lack of a modern abattoir in the capital has led to a rise in adulterated and illegal meat. He urged President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take immediate notice and expedite the construction of a slaughterhouse in I-11/4.

Qureshi also called for the removal of all bureaucratic hurdles in the project and the implementation of strict monitoring systems to ensure meat safety and hygiene.

Citywide crackdown

Meanwhile, the Director of the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), Irfan Nawaz Memon confirmed that a major operation led to the recovery of donkey meat in the federal capital and launched a citywide inspection to trace the source and potential buyers.

According to Memon, IFA teams had received intelligence over a week ago about the possible sale and distribution of donkey meat in Islamabad. The information was kept confidential while teams conducted discreet monitoring to catch those involved.