The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has registered a first information report (FIR) against butchers and set ablaze 1,500 kg inferior quality meat of emaciated animals at Punjab Agriculture & Meat Company’s furnace, on Friday.
An illegal slaughterhouse was unearthed in the area of Bakar Mandi while the accused had managed to escape. The raid was conducted by meat safety team and vigilance cell of the provincial food regulatory upon the directions of PFA Director General Captain (R) Muhammad Usman. DG said that substandard quality meat was supplied on local shops located in the surrounding areas of Lahore after slaughtering emaciated animals. He said that raiding team also discovered the worst condition of the slaughterhouse, an abundance of creepy-crawlies and insects, presence of cats and heap of offal and filth of animals. He said that PFA is strictly monitoring those areas which fall into red zone category owing to received repeated complaints. Meanwhile, Bakar Mandi area has been declared a red zone concerning illegal slaughterhouses. As many as 60,000kg substandard meat was discarded by PFA in the last two months. DG has directed officials to accelerate the crackdown against butchers who are running illicitly slaughterhouse and playing with the prestigious life of innocent people.