Pakistan: Majority of Pakistanis eating ‘Haram’ meat: officials

 By Khurram Shahzad – Daily Pakistan
LAHORE (Web Desk) – About 90 percent people in Pakistan are unknowingly eating ‘Haram’ meat while believing it to be ‘Halal’, said officials on Thursday.

They said animals are not being slaughtered according to Islamic practice as the country fails to ensure ‘Halal’ standards are met. Only one slaughter house, Shapur Kangran Slaughter House operated according to Halal standards, they said.

slauh1Data available with Pakistan Halal Product Development Board (PHPDB), Punjab Halal Development Agency (PHDA), Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) reveals that ordinary people are unaware of the requirements of Muslim dietary law, enshrined in the 1973 Constitution, and are therefore led to believe they are eating Halal food whereas actually they are not.

“Majority of butchers are ignorant of Islamic modalities regarding pre-slaughtering and post-slaughtering procedures of animals. They just slay the animals and provide mutton, beef and chicken meat to the public that is not ‘Halal’,” said officials.

Meanwhile, foods banned by other Muslim countries according to Islamic practice are being used in many industries, including the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical industries with impunity.