EVERY day scores of vehicles (trucks, buses, lorries) are seen carrying a huge number of livestock on Quetta-Dalbandein-Nokundi-Taftan highway.
This livestock is transported illegally to Taftan — against permits issued by the district administration — from where they are subsequently smuggled to Iran.
It is pertinent to mention here that agencies responsible for checking the goods, en route, are shown these permits with the contention that the animals are being transported within the country’s territorial limits, ie Taftan.
The rampant smuggling of live animals through this mode not only causes huge losses to the nation’s economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings, but it also causes a shortfall of live animals in the country for local consumption.
As a result, Balochistan is faced with an acute shortage of meat whose prices have recently soared substantially. Every day these animals, after getting dumped at Taftan, are being illegally taken across the Iranian border.
It may be noted that transportation of livestock against permits issued by the district administration is unwarranted in terms of relevant provisions of rules framed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Moreover, these permits issued by the DCOs are grossly misused for smuggling of livestock as Taftan is a thinly-populated city having very little requirements of meat while permits issued are unlimited, covering almost tens of thousands of animals.
This also negates the contention that these permits are issued only for local transportation of animals within the territory of Balochistan.
In view of the foregoing, I request the Chief Secretary to direct relevant authorities to immediately stop this practice of issuance of permits for local transportation of animals.
The issue may also be taken up with the customs so that it may ensure strict en route examination of these consignments and take punitive action against those violating the law.