Cattle export: PHC rejects appeals against suspension orders

Transportation of cattle to Afghanistan banned due to reduced supply of beef, mutton and poultry products in Pakistan

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has rejected appeals seeking the withdrawal of suspension orders issued against cattle transportation from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to Afghanistan.

The court ordered that its directives from the last hearing must be complied to by all concerned. They added that any violation of the orders would be considered smuggling.

On July 23, PHC banned the transportation of cattle to Afghanistan after receiving complaints that the trade has reduced the supply of beef, mutton and poultry products in Pakistan.

Pakistan Poultry Associations’ General Secretary Dr Bashir Mahmood Bhatti requested permission to allow exporting breeder stock instead of broiler stock. He added that 10 per cent of the parent stock was used in Pakistan while 90 per cent was consumed by Afghanistan.

PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Dost Muhammad Khan refused his request, however: “Keeping in view the serious shortage of poultry products and cattle in the province, we cannot allow their export for the time being. All the permits issued by any authority shall remain suspended,” CJ Khan ordered.

Meanwhile, CJ Khan was informed that court orders were being complied with and check posts had been established at the border regions to stop cattle smuggling.

The court ordered that representatives of all the concerned departments should pay round the clock duty at the check posts to stop smuggling of extra cattle, meat, chicken and other poultry products.

Upon request by Peshawar District Coordination Officer Javed Marwat, it also ordered the home department to increase the number of price review magistrates from six to 12 and conduct daily surprise raids at the check posts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2012.