Muslims offered Qurbani all over Pakistan with great devotion, zeal, and passion. But in the process, the surroundings were littered with the innards and entrails, offals and intestines of the sacrificed rams, goats, cows, bulls and camels, some of which still “adorn” certain streets, roads, parks and nullahs sending nauseating whiffs and puffs of the stinking stench and foul odors to the passers-by and the hapless residents living around. These sites also offer a breeding ground for the contagious diseases at an epidemic scale. Ironically, each and every citizen and media man blames the municipalities for not collecting the foul waste and disposing it off elsewhere. But not one of them blames himself for causing such a sorry state of affairs in the first instance by dumping the entrails in the open.
Did ANYONE in Pakistan pack such waste in some paper bag and place it in a garbage bin to be taken away by the Municipal garbage vehicle? I think, not. Where is our oft-quoted Hadees, “Safai Nisf Eeman” and why don’t we act upon it? Did any Khateeb, Aalim, Charity Organisation, NGO, etc. appealing ardently for the donation of the skins also told people about disposing off properly such animal waste? Again, I think, not.
We have been offering Qurbani for centuries and have yet to learn the basic rudimentary civic sense. I would, therefore, propose that all sacrificial animals be slaughtered in proper Govt. abattoirs centrally in the future. The slaughterhouse could allot the time of the sacrifice and pack the dressed meat according to the individual’s requirement. And all for a nominal charge too. The proper acceptable procedure to follow could be worked out by the govt. administration and the Ulema jointly. It will save us from the logistic hassle. It is nothing new and is being done in Europe, the Americas, Canada, Japan and most of the world. Incidentally, it has the Islamic sanctions also, for, it is being done during the Hajj for many years.
COL. RIAZ JAFRI (RETD),
Rawalpindi.