The illegal donkey meat trade continues to surface across Pakistan, as yet another case has been reported—this time from a village near Kasur. Acting on a tip-off from intelligence agencies, local police raided the village of Kotli Rai Abu Bakar, located on the outskirts of Kasur. During the operation, officers arrested one suspect on the spot, while three others reportedly escaped.
Authorities confirmed that they seized several maunds of suspected donkey meat from the location. A case has been registered, and an investigation is currently underway to track down the remaining suspects. (Geo News Report)
This raid is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, a similar operation took place in Kuzabanda, a village in the Battagram district. During that raid, a slaughtered donkey was recovered. Two individuals—one from Hunza and the other from Mansehra—were arrested on the spot. That action was jointly conducted by the Additional Assistant Commissioner and Food Inspector, following another intelligence tip. (Express Tribune Article)
Even more alarming was a major crackdown in Islamabad earlier this month, where authorities confiscated nearly 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat from a farmhouse located in Tarnol. Over 50 live donkeys were also found, and a foreign national was arrested for alleged involvement in distributing the meat illegally across local markets. The Islamabad Food Authority later confirmed that the seized meat was intended for public sale.
These repeated discoveries have triggered nationwide concern over food safety, particularly regarding the potential public health risks of consuming unregulated and unhygienic meat. Although donkey meat is not explicitly banned in Pakistan, it is not recognized as safe or acceptable for human consumption, especially when processed and sold without proper health inspections.
Health experts have warned that consuming such meat—especially when it comes from sick or unvaccinated animals—can lead to serious diseases, including gastrointestinal infections and food poisoning. Moreover, the lack of regulation means such meat can enter the food supply without any tracking or accountability.
In response to these cases, authorities are stepping up efforts to clamp down on illegal meat networks, which are believed to stretch across multiple provinces. Police and food regulatory teams have begun coordinating more closely with intelligence services to monitor suspected slaughterhouses and unlicensed meat sellers. There is also growing demand from the public for stricter penalties and improved food safety enforcement.
Although no official health alerts have been issued yet, social media users and local communities are calling for stronger controls at butcher shops, restaurants, and food distributors. The public also wants greater transparency in meat inspections and routine checks to ensure only lawful, inspected meat is sold to consumers.
These back-to-back incidents—from Islamabad to Battagram and now Kasur—suggest a broader pattern of organized activity, rather than random events. If these operations are part of a larger illegal meat network, the problem could be far more widespread than currently known.
As the investigation continues, officials have assured citizens that further raids will follow and that all meat samples recovered are being tested in government laboratories. The outcome of these tests will determine whether additional charges, including those under Pakistan Penal Code Sections 272 and 273 (related to food adulteration), will be added.
For now, the spotlight remains firmly on food safety authorities and law enforcement to take swift and transparent action to protect public health.
