This file photo shows a large number of Australian sheep seen at PK Livestock and Meat Company Warehouse in Razzaqabad in Karachi. – File Photo

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday rejected laboratory reports on the Australian sheep suspected of being infected with harmful diseases, directing authorities to send fresh samples to London for further tests, DawnNews reported.

The SHC ordered the fresh reports to be presented in court within three weeks.

The Sindh High Court had ordered provisional testing by veterinary and microbiological experts of the nearly 20,000 sheep imported from Australia. The court had also ordered a stay order against the culling of the sheep until Sept 27.

There have been disputes within the medical committee over the medical condition of the sheep, which some say suffer from the highly dangerous anthrax virus.

Justice Maqbool Baqar of the SHC, hearing the case on Friday, expressed his reservations over the report by the Islamabad national Laboratory, asking for fresh samples to be sent to London for further tests and report to be submitted by October 19.

The court also issued orders to the concerned Police superintendent for installation of CCTV cameras and security measures around the farm where the sheep are being kept.