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RedditAuthorities on Monday denied a report that thousands of Australian sheep culled over disease fears were killed improperly, insisting they were slaughtered in accordance with Islamic practice.
A court on Saturday halted the cull of 21,000 Australian sheep amid a dispute over whether or not they are sick, but a senior official insisted the 7,600 animals already killed had not been mistreated.
The shipment of sheep arrived in Pakistan almost a month ago after being turned away by Bahrain, and livestock officials ordered them to be culled after they tested positive for salmonella and actinomyces bacteria.
But after an appeal by importer PK Meat and Food Company, the Sindh High Court rejected the test results and ordered fresh samples to be taken and sent to Britain for analysis.
A report in a local newspaper said the authorities had used untrained workers who had stabbed and clubbed the sheep to death and even buried some while still alive, prompting anger in Australia.
According to the report, which referred to video shot on a mobile phone, some of the animals were said to be disposed of in shallow graves.
Roshan Shaikh, Karachi’s top administrative official, said reports of the animals’ mistreatment were untrue.
“We have slaughtered the sheep in Islamic manner and duly buried them deep in trenches ensuring that they could not cause danger to human population or animals,” he said.
“There was just a single sheep the throat of which was not properly cut, but that was a human error and not deliberate.” The Australian government has said it is looking into the reports.
The court will reconvene to decide on the sheep’s fate on October 16, after receiving results from the British laboratory. Samples for the new tests were taken in the presence of Australian experts, Shaikh said.
Australia has insisted salmonella and actinomyces are part of normal bacteria found in sheep and pose no threat to human health.
The incident has renewed calls for a total end to Australia’s live export trade, which is worth about US$1 billion a year and employs around 10,000 people.
Australia suspended live cattle exports to Indonesia for a month last year after a television documentary revealed mistreatment inside its abattoirs, only reinstating the trade under a strict new licensing system.
DAWN
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1:53 pm
The arguments are barren. If the sheep were not culled according to standard prices then they could be exhumed. Pakistan has a problem with the aspect of professionalism. Having studied many aspects of Australian practices in many fields i am willing to accept their version for why should they state things as they are not. On the other hand there is always a conflict of interest between local Touts and international touts.
The recent postings of non-professionals to the quarantine system in Pakistan is another point. The graft that comes with non-professionalism is one aspect that needs to be looked in to. Pakistan must set its own house in order before casting stones elsewhere. We are living in a glass house to begin with. In 1996 sheep came here while i was secretary agriculture. There was the same kind of hue and cry. The matter was taken up at the highest level. This time around you have murkiness all round and no clear cut vision. The cabinet of BB also enquired in to my conduct and the Ombudsman none other than Justice [R] A. Salam found that my actions were in order. So please start behaving and stop attributing all kinds of intentions to other people. we are as a nation a society that has never done anything wrong.
So why not exhume. Why not have a joint team. Pakistan does not have the wherewithal for testing. Zaat Di koor Kili tey Shatearing no jhapey. THe referral lab in Islamabad was set up by me but was a referral for Chicjens. Did they enhance their activity?
No. They have as a matter of fact been in status quo-and i am being kind.
Zafar Altaf.