Traders warn of severe meat crisis

All Pakistan Jamiat-ul-Quresh Meat Welfare Association has warned of countrywide severe crisis of meat in the near future if positive steps were not taken by the federal government to stop illegal export and smuggling of livestock to Afghanistan. The Association also demanded of the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to immediately order allotment of un-cultivated or barren land to the meat traders, ease conditions for the import of animals from neighbouring countries to control the price hike in the country. The Meat Welfare Association presented 12-point charter of demand to the federal secretary food, agriculture and livestock Muhammad Aslam Qureshi here on Tuesday during a meeting with him.
Association president Khursheed Qureshi apprised the secretary food of problems being faced by the meat traders. Secretary food assured the delegation that their demands would be forwarded to the primer minister.
The demands included allotment of infertile land to meat traders to raise livestock farms in the capital, easing loan conditions, permission of import of animals from neighbouring states, curbing smuggling of animals to Afghanistan, declaring the meat business as industry, establishment of countrywide meat boards and setting up meat markets and modern slaughter house in Islamabad.