(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Pakistani authorities said Wednesday that they seized large quantities of meat suspected to be pork being sold in markets in the northeastern city of Lahore.
Pork is forbidden in Islam, the religion followed by most Pakistanis, but had been sold to markets as beef and mutton, Ayesha Mumtaz, who heads the Punjab Food Authority, told reporters.
She said pig fat was also being supplied to the market for making ice-cream.
"We have sent the samples of the meat to the laboratory to determine if it is actually pig meat or some other kind of substandard meat," said Mumtaz.
Her department, which covers Lahore and the rest of Punjab province, has launched a province-wide crackdown on the sale of substandard or adulterated food goods, especially meat and milk.
In recent months, the authorities have seized large amounts of donkey meat, which was also being labelled as beef and mutton.
Milk sellers in Lahore went on strike last week after the food department launched a crackdown against the sale of adulterated milk.
Laboratory tests of several samples revealed that detergent, soda and other substances were used to thicken the milk.
Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sjharif reportedly came under pressure to sack Mumtaz after she sealed the bakeries of two five-star hotels in Lahore for selling substandard items last month.
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