The Jamiatul Quresh Meat Welfare Association (JQMWA) in Pakistan has threatened a countrywide strike by butchers unless the government does something soon about the acute scarcity of meat and livestock in the country.

Large amounts of meat are exported to West Asia and other Islamic countries at the cost of domestic needs, the butchers allege, often leaving them without any employment opportunities.

JQMWA president Khurshid Ahmed Qureshi said, "The butcher community is affected by the massive export of meat to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other Islamic countries, while smuggling of livestock to countries such as Afghanistan goes on unabated.'

The scarcity of beef and mutton has also raised the prices of fish and chicken. "This could lead to a major crisis,' Qureshi said adding, "Healthy animals are being exported, leaving only the weak and frail ones for domestic use. The crisis can be resolved if the government puts a ban on exports till new farmhouses are set up to meet the demand for meat in the country.'

Qureshi singled out hi-tech food export companies, set up with the help of the food and livestock ministry, blaming them for the present shortage.