THE busy streets of Lahore have become a battleground for an unusual menace: the sale of ‘sadqa gosht’, which comprise meat scraps packaged for sale by unscrupulous vendors. These vendors set up selling points where traffic accumulates, disrupting the flow of vehicles. Buyers, often motorcyclists, suddenly pull over to purchase these packets of meat. They then toss them into the air as an offering to birds of prey. The birds, lurking behind trees and electricity poles, dive down to grab the meat. This leads to accidents as they collide with passing vehicles or crash into windshields.
The sudden appearance of birds in the path of moving vehicles causes distraction and loss of control for the drivers. Despite some efforts made by the city district government and the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), the problem has persisted. The vendors continue to operate along the Canal Road, from Jallo to Thokar Niaz Baig, and around Bagh-i-Jinnah.
The practice not only endangers lives, but also damages the ecosystem. An environmentalist has warned that insect-eating bird species are declining due to urbanisation and the rise in the number of scavenger birds, like vultures.
The Punjab government must strengthen law-enforcement efforts to apprehend these careless vendors, and impose strict penalties on those engaged in selling the so-called ‘sadqa gosht’ under the pretext of piety.
As Lahore grapples with this unique challenge, the people need a swift action from the government. Let us prioritise public safety, protect our environment, and prevent unnecessary road accidents.
M ABID HAFEEZ
LAHORE
