After a gap of a few months, groups that used to sell donkey meat to restaurants in Lahore have resurfaced. A team from Pakistan Today raided the Sabzazar area of the city to catch the butchers off-guard; however, on seeing the team arriving, the butchers fled from the area.
During the previous government, the illegal and ‘haram’ business of selling donkey meat to hotels was at its peak. With the tireless endeavours of the food department and an endless pressure from the media, most of the hotels and restaurants that sold donkey meat were sealed and fined. Unfortunately, these restaurants have reopened, bringing donkey meat for sale again.
One of the reasons for this surge in the sale of donkey meat is the growing demand for the hides of this animal. Most people who sell donkey skin also end up selling its meat to different restaurants. Although the district management succeeded in controlling this practice, those involved in selling donkey meat have resumed their business.
The group that the Pakistan Today’s team raided was of nomads that were temporarily residing in huts in the Sabzazar area. They were selling hides at thousands of rupees per hide. The group had been involved in this business before as well. It has been reported that these nomads have an extensive network spread across different cities including, Kasur, Patoki, Narang Mandi and Sheikhupura. On receiving the news of a donkey’s slaughter, these nomads come rushing to collect the dead animal on their bike with the number ‘LIK 359’. They then remove the skin of the animal and sell its meat to small restaurants of the particular city.
Pakistan Today’s team spoke to the brother of the person who had fled the scene. When asked, he admitted that he too was involved in the business. He added that he had never been arrested by the police because whenever the police came to his area, he would simply bribe them. With accepting the money, the police officers just kept on looking the other way.
It is pertinent to note that if the morbid activity of selling donkey meat to local restaurants is being built up in Lahore, a lot worse could be happening in the smaller cities. Also, since this business is being run with the connivance of police, there is no one to keep a check on this horrible practice.
When Lord Mayor Colonel (retd) Mubashir was contacted by this reporter, he was as usual busy in a meeting. The Lord Mayor, it appears, is fond of meetings. Maybe he should hold a meeting with the people who sell donkey meat in the city so he could listen to some of the horror stories his city is going through on a daily basis. Or, perhaps, the mayor does not consider himself answerable to the people.
