CONSCIENCE FOR SALE, FAITH BETRAYED: PAKISTAN'S HALAL SYSTEM UNDONE BY A BUTCHERED TRUTH

A Page of my Diary

Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

0333 53 63 248 

Islamabad

What was once a cruel joke aimed at mocking the people of Lahore has now morphed into a grim reality across multiple cities in Pakistan - the sale and consumption of dog and donkey meat. No longer just a punchline, this disturbing trade thrives in the shadows, driven by those who have traded their conscience for cash. With little regard for ethics, health, or humanity, these vendors shamelessly peddle what is forbidden, turning one of the most grotesque acts into a booming underground business. 

What unfolded in Islamabad’s Tarnol area on Saturday, July 26, is not just a violation of food safety - it’s a moral and religious travesty. The Islamabad Food Authority (IFA), in collaboration with local police and district administration, raided an unauthorised farmhouse and uncovered a revolting operation: over 900 kilograms of donkey meat being processed for sale, both within Pakistan and beyond. The authorities seized the illicit stock and rescued 60 live donkeys, potentially hours away from being butchered in the shadows. 

To add another layer to this disturbing tale, a foreign national, reportedly a Chinese citizen, was apprehended at the site. Initial investigations suggest that this was no isolated crime—it may be part of a transnational network smuggling forbidden meat into local markets and foreign destinations. The operation had reportedly been functioning for quite some time, exploiting regulatory loopholes and institutional negligence. 

At a Tarnol farmhouse, donkeys stand in line for a fate too cruel to imagine.

This is not simply a matter of public health -it is a direct assault on religious sanctity. Islamic injunctions are unambiguous: donkey meat is Haraam. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), during the Battle of Khaybar, explicitly forbade its consumption. That such meat could be slipping into our food supply chains is nothing short of a betrayal of the nation’s faith, values, and trust. 

Yet this horror story also exposes a larger, systemic failure. For years, organisations like Jamiat-al-Quresh have demanded a modern, regulated slaughterhouse in Islamabad. But bureaucratic inertia has rendered their calls unheard, leaving room for illegal, unregulated slaughterhouses to mushroom in areas like Tarnol. With no central mechanism to enforce halal standards, unscrupulous operators continue to thrive in the shadows. 

There is another uncomfortable dimension to this case: the involvement of foreign nationals in an enterprise that is religiously forbidden for the Muslim majority, yet possibly legal for others. This raises a critical policy question - where is the government’s stance when non-Muslim actors operate within Pakistani territory to promote or profit from practices strictly prohibited in Islam? This is where the state must rise with resolve. 

Whether the culprits are Pakistani or foreign, whether the crime is local or international, the response nation that fails to protect the integrity of its food, the faith of its people, and the sanctity of its laws is inviting rot from within must be swift, firm, and unforgiving. No diplomatic immunity, no procedural delay, no bureaucratic excuses - those responsible must be booked under the full extent of Pakistani law and made an example of. 

The government machinery must now shift gears - from passive observation to active prosecution. If not now, then when? A. The choice is clear: either act decisively now, or let the stench of inaction spread deeper into the system.