In compliance with the verdict of Peshawar High Court (PHC), the City District Administrative has devised a comprehensive strategy for carrying out crackdown against smuggling of cattle and poultry products to neighbouring Afghanistan. A joint plan would be pursued by department of Food, Livestock, police, FC and district government to keep strict check on smuggling of cattle and poultry via border areas.
In this connection, a circular has been issued to poultry associations and butchers by the District Administration which said that smuggling of animals, meat and poultry could be strictly prohibited, and those who were found involved in this illegal business, would be faced charges under the relevant section 188 of the Pakistan panel court (PPC).
The court decision against the curbing of illegal transportation of cattle and poultry, had paved the way to take stern action against those who were involved in this illegal business, said District Co-ordinator Officer Javed Marwat while talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday. As per decision of the court, he said that directives had been issued to police, FC, department of Food and Livestock, and District government to adopt a strategy for establishment of joint check posts to keep strict check of smuggling of cattle and poultry.
“Steps are being taken to execute the plan with mutual co-operation and consensus with immediate effect,” he maintained. Marwat informed that the administration had taken decision to impose section-144 during the holy month of Ramazan. He, however, informed that a court has issued a decision on October, 2010 annulling the section by barring the district administration not to take action against the smugglers of cattle and poultry.
After taking suo-motu notice of shortage of cattle and poultry products due to unprecedented smuggling to Afghanistan, a Peshawar High Court bench had suspended cattle export permits till the next hearing on August 2. According to the court verdict, it said that cattle smuggling had led to shortage of animal and availability of beef and mutton pushing their prices beyond the purchasing power of the fasting people. The bench observed that it had been established that cattle export permits were issued to the authorities’ blue-eyed people, who illegally earned millions of rupees. It was pointed out in the court decision that federal government was issuing permits for cattle export to Afghanistan, while majority of permit holders collected cattle export from the province, the court decision said.
DCO said the section wasn’t implemented to curb smuggling of cattle and poultry and control upward trend in their prices. He said the district administration had continued its efforts to implement the section, and informed the court that a large scale of smuggling of cattle and poultry being carried to neighbouring Afghanistan due not imposition of section 144. Following the court decision, he said they had authorised to take necessary action under the relevant section to curb smuggling of cattle and poultry products to Afghanistan. Assistant Co-ordinator Officer Zafar Ali Shah informed the reporter that they had seized more than 95 animals being smuggled to Afghanistan on Thursday, and auctioned to two different parties at Rs 1.5 millions to sell in open market at Rs 220 per kg at official rate.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2012
