LAHORE: On Tuesday, the Punjab government implemented a ban on the slaughter of productive female animals throughout the province. The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the provincial capital.
During the meeting, the chief minister announced plans to establish animal disease-free zones across Punjab. He emphasized the considerable potential for livestock export to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
To boost livestock exports, the chief minister highlighted the need for an immediate and actionable plan. A committee was formed, consisting of the provincial minister for livestock, additional chief secretary, secretary of livestock, secretary of finance, president of the All Pakistan Meat Exporters’ Association, and commissioners of Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur. The committee was tasked with developing a plan to increase the output of the livestock sector.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first instance of the provincial government imposing a ban on the slaughter of female animals. Previous bans have led to shortages of red meat and cattle in the market.
DRAP Takes Action: Karachi Factory Sealed for Production of Fake Medicines
In another development, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) carried out a raid on Tuesday, shutting down a factory in Karachi suspected of producing counterfeit medicines.
Six individuals, including the factory owner, were apprehended by the police on charges of illicitly manufacturing medicines under the brand names Alpine, Alcon, and Trigon.
The Ministry of Health’s spokesperson revealed that a substantial quantity of fake medicines was confiscated by the DRAP team during the operation. Samples of the counterfeit drugs have been dispatched to a laboratory for further analysis.
This incident follows a similar operation in April of this year when Karachi police, in collaboration with DRAP officials, raided and sealed a factory allegedly involved in the production of fake medicines in the New Karachi area. The joint operation uncovered a significant cache of counterfeit life-saving drugs and raw materials. The police seized two manufacturing units, along with 10 other types of machinery and dyes from the facility.
