The October 8 earthquake, which had not only taken the precious lives of more than 73,000 people and devastated the northern region of the country completely, but also claimed the lives of thousands of livestock.
Due to the earthquake the traders of Mansehra, Balakot, Hawailian, Swat and Batgram are sitting idle these days. These cities were considered the hub of cattle trading and hundreds of traders used to come and purchase livestock in bulk every week for supply to Rawalpindi and Islamabad slaughter houses.
"Thousands of livestock have been lost or even expired," a trader said, adding that prior to the earthquake disaster people used to reared two or three cow, sheep or goat at their homes.
He said the people who had been rearing, brought their cattle every week to the main market of Mansehra where some 12,000 animals of different categories came every week for sale.
"The cattle traders then used to contact slaughter houses of Islamabad and Rawalpindi who bought their cattle, besides some other parties of interior Punjab," Jamiat-ul-Quresh Meat Association Central President Khurshid Ahmed Qureshi said, while talking to Business Recorder from Islamabad on Thursday.
He said the meat merchants of the twin cities are trying to fill the livestock gap of northern region from the animals of Punjab, nevertheless, the chilled Indian beef meat could make its place in Islamabad and the adjoining areas.
Qureshi said his association has placed small orders for Indian meat, as they (meat merchants) have to see the response of the people of Islamabad first.
"Actually, we have to see first that either Indian chilled meat is medically appropriate," Qureshi said, adding that once the people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad approves the meat, we are prepared to procure one million kilogramme chilled Indian meat every month.
Since the imported Indian chilled meat would be available in the market at the rate of Rs 80 per kilogramme, Jamiat-ul-Quresh Meat Association believes that the masses would be facilitated by this move and they could buy meat at cheaper rates.
The Indian chilled meat importers have so far got 10 tonnes meat from Wagah border in just two months. The entire consignments have been sold out in the retail markets of Lahore. On the other hand, 28 tonnes of Indian meat has also reached the Karachi Port during the said period and currently available at different meat shops across the metropolis.
"The Indian meat, which we are being imported is press chilled meat rather than frozen, which freezes at minus 20 degree centigrade, however, the press chilled meat is chilled between minus 2 degree centigrade to plus 2 degree centigrade, therefore, it does not loses its shape, colour and quality," importer of press chilled Indian meat Jahangir Qureshi said.
He said that a special team has recently visited New Delhi market for the feasibility of Indian mutton meat and it is being anticipated that import of Indian press chilled mutton would start shortly.
While commenting on the quality of press chilled Indian buffalo meat, Jahangir Qureshi said that the Indian meat is being imported after special medical and clinical tests and every consignment has Halal certificate, Sharai Zabeeha Council certificate and Health certificate.