SWAT: Residents of Mingora here have demanded of the district administration to take action against butchers not slaughtering their animals in the new slaughterhouse.

Speaking during a meeting of the civil society in Mingora the other day, they also urged the relevant authority to probe growing public complaints that meat of dead and sick animals was being sold in the local bazaars.

“The butchers do not go to the newly-constructed slaughterhouse. Since the old one has been demolished, they slaughter their animals at private places where they do not care about healthy and legally approved animals, but slaughter, sick, infant and pregnant animals without any official check,” said Amjad Ali, a resident.

Saeed Iqbal, another local resident, said the government had constructed a new slaughterhouse in Takhta Band area, but butchers did not go there saying it was far from Mingora.

Mingora residents claim meat of sick and dead animals being sold in area

When contacted, livestock department, Swat, director Dr Sir Buland said that doctors of his department would examine the animals brought to the old slaughterhouse.

“But since demolition of the old slaughterhouse in Makanbagh, we do not know who slaughter the animals and where,” he said.

Butchers union Swat president Haji Khan Toti said construction of the new slaughterhouse was not yet completed which was why they did not go there.

He rejected the claims that meat of sick and dead animals was being sold in Mingora.

When contacted, TMA superintendent Fazal Khan said construction of the new slaughterhouse had been completed and the butchers could avail of the facility.

VARSITY CAMPUS AT BARIKOT: Provincial Minister for Housing Dr Amjad Ali has said that construction work on the Engineering University, Barikot campus, would be completed by 2023 at a cost of Rs1.20 billion and over 1,400 students from across Malakand division would get education there.

He said this during his visit to the construction site of the university the other day where project manager Dr Najibullah briefed him about progress on the varsity campus project.

The minister said that consultations on the establishment of the agriculture university’s campus were also underway.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2021