Police foil attempt to transport hazardous meat to Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Two days after food authorities seized a large quantity of donkey meat in Islamabad, motorway police on Tuesday intercepted a vehicle near Chakri, and recovered approximately 400 kilograms of hazardous meat.

Punjab Food Authority officials reached the scene and confiscated the meat. They also confirmed that the meat was unfit for human consumption.

At least two suspected smugglers were arrested on the spot by the police. Later, the motorway police handed them over to the Punjab Food Authority for further investigation. The vehicle was en route to Islamabad, sources said.

Earlier, the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) conducted a major operation in the Sangjani area and recovered over 50 donkeys and approximately 1,000 kilograms (25 maunds) of meat.

Officials said an investigation is under way to determine which areas the meat was being supplied to, and whether it was intended for consumption by foreign nationals.

Earlier, a popular pulao eatery operating in Islamabad has denied using donkey meat in their dishes after a list started circulating on social media and WhatsApp groups accusing some Islamabad-based restaurants and cafes of serving donkey meat.

As per a report in ‘The Punch’, the owner of the ‘Malang Jan Bannu beef pulao’ restaurant in Tarnol Zahir has said that they have not used any donkey meat in their dishes.

He told the YouTube channel that the donkey meat has been confiscated from Saranjani area and not Tarnol as indicated in several social media groups and channels.

He also showed the slaughterhouse and his farmhouse to the YouTube channel along with official certificates allowing him to slaughter animals which had been kept in the farmhouse situated near the eatery in Tarnol.

In May this year, Pakistan Customs foiled a major smuggling attempt at Karachi Port and seized donkey hides worth Rs80 million that were being illegally exported to China.

Pakistan has one of the world’s largest donkey populations. The 2023-24 Pakistan Economic Survey reported a rise from 5.5 million donkeys in 2019-20 to 5.9 million.

Donkey hides are in high demand in China, where they are used to produce Ejiao — a traditional medicine made from gelatin. Donkey meat is also commonly served in Chinese cuisine, including in burgers.