Islamabad: Senator Aimal Wali Khan, President of the Awami National Party (ANP), has raised alarm over the sale of unusual meats in Pakistan, stating that in several areas of the country, dog, donkey, and frog meat are being sold. He also highlighted concerns about the quality of milk sold in the country, claiming that 78% of it is adulterated with chemicals.
Speaking during a session of the Senate’s Standing Committee on National Food Security, chaired by Senator Syed Masroor Ahmed, Senator Wali discussed the issues of mismanagement in the export of Basmati rice to the European Union. Officials from the Food Security Ministry briefed the committee that the European Union had raised objections over 107 rice shipments from Pakistan. Following the EU’s concerns, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered 17 FIRs against the officials and employees involved in the mismanagement of the rice export process. Of these, 11 individuals have been arrested, 2 are on the run, and 4 have been granted bail.
Senator Wali criticized the export process, questioning how shipments that are approved for export end up being returned due to fungal contamination. He also alleged that plastic rice is being sold in the local market.
Furthermore, Senator Wali presented disturbing statistics about Pakistan’s dairy industry, stating that a report revealed that the amount of milk being sold in the country exceeds actual production by a large margin. “Only 22% of the milk sold in Pakistan is actual milk, while the remaining 78% is chemical-laced,” he said, also noting the sale of dog, donkey, and frog meat in certain regions.
The Secretary of the National Food Security Ministry acknowledged the lack of a comprehensive food safety policy in Pakistan. Senator Wali proposed that the committee work together to formulate a food safety policy to address these pressing issues.
In response to the concerns raised, the committee decided to form a sub-committee tasked with developing a policy for food safety in Pakistan.
