Pakistan serves beef to Nepal earthquake survivors

April 30, 2015

Kathmandu, Apr 30: After experiencing major devastation and loss of lives in the April 25 earthquake, Nepal is left with an unsavoury taste in the mouth when it received packets of 'beef masala' as part of the relief package from Pakistan.

Since the majority-Hindu country treats cows as sacred and there is a blanket ban on slaughtering the animal, the development has the potential of triggering diplomatic acrimony between the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries.

pak

Indian doctors at Kathmandu's Bir Hospital told Mail Today that packets of 'beef masala' were sent by Pakistan on Tuesday as part of relief aid to the temblor survivors. These doctors - drawn from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) - are members of a 34-member medical team sent to Nepal for treating the survivors.

"When we reached the airport to collect the food items from Pakistan, we found packets of ready-to-eat meals, including packets of 'beef masala'. There were other food items too," Dr Balwinder Singh told Mail Today.

Perplexed, the doctors chose to have food from a hotel instead. "We did not touch the Pakistani aid," Dr Singh said.

"Most of the local people are not aware of the contents. When they understand, they avoid it," said another doctor on the condition of anonymity. He added: "Pakistan has hurt Nepal's religious sentiments by supplying the masala. Shockingly, it did not care about the sensitivity of the matter."

Exclusive photographs of the 'beef masala' packets supplied to Nepal are with Mail Today.

These pictures clearly show that the place of origin of these packets was Nowshera Cantt in Pakistan. These packets also prominently mention that these are not for sale and the contents include 'potato bhujia' and 'beef masala' (see photograph, right).

A top Nepal government official said: "The matter has been conveyed to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and the intelligence chief. We are also starting an internal inquiry to verify the facts. If the report is correct, we will raise the matter at the diplomatic level with Pakistan. India, being our key partner, will also be informed of the developments."

Tasneem Aslam, spokesperson for Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, told Mail Today: "I am not aware of the issue... I am not responsible for the dispatch. The relief aid is sent by the National Disaster Management Authority."

A press note uploaded on the website of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan (http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/), states: "(The) National Disaster Management Authority has dispatched the second of two sorties of C-130 aircrafts on April 28 in collaboration with Pakistan Army, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Air Force. The relief goods include 250 tents, 200 food packs (2.6 tonne), 1,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), 1,000 blankets and 33 cartons of medicines. These relief goods have been provided from NDMA stocks...."

The food items have been manufactured by PANA Force Foods. The consignment was supplied after receiving orders from Pakistan's NDMA.

"PANA Force food processing centre aims at providing quality goods at affordable prices. Currently, the company is supplying two brands of products to Pakistan Army commonly known as Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) and Emergency Pack Ration (EP Ration or high-energy biscuits) whereas a plant for the production of dehydrated vegetables and fruits is under construction," the official website of PANA Force Foods mentions.

The website also states that the processing centre provides food to civil population during natural calamities, like earthquakes and floods.

According to Hindu belief, eating beef is a religious offence since cow is a sacred animal and treated on a par with one's mother.

In Nepal - for long the world's only Hindu state - the first royal order officially prohibiting cow slaughter stated that the punishments for the crime were death and confiscation of all property of the offender.

The first Civil Code of Nepal, the Muluki Ain of 1854, stated: "This kingdom is the only kingdom in the world where cows, women, and Brahmins may not be killed." It trumpeted Nepal as the 'purest Hindu kingdom' and simultaneously signaled to Nepalese citizens that Hindu religious creeds would be the law of the land.

But an amendment in 1990 to the Civil Code made cow slaughter punishable by 12 years in prison.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 27,2020

Kollam, Mar 27: A young IAS officer in Kerala has been booked by police after he left the state violating instructions to remain under home quarantine following his recent return from honeymoon abroad, officials said on Friday.

A First Information Report has been registered against Kollam sub-collector Anupam Mishra, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, based on a report from the Health department about the violation, Kollam Superintendent of Police T Narayanan said.

Describing the action of the officer as a “serious matter”, District Collector B. Abdul Nasser said Mishra had returned to Kerala on March 19 from his Malaysia-Singapore trip and was advised to remain under quarantine, as per the protocol for overseas returnees in the backdrop of coronavirus outbreak.

On his return to Kerala from the foreign trip, Mishra had undergone medical examination and did not show symptoms. His personal staff, including gunman, have also been kept under observation.

However, the officer had left for his brother’s place in Bengaluru without informing anyone, Nasser said.

When the Collector got in touch with him, Mishra informed him that he was in Bengaluru.

“He was on leave after his marriage and took permission to travel to Malaysia and Singapore. On his return I advised him to remain under home quarantine. Seems like he left to be with his family at Bengaluru,” Nasser told PTI.

However, police said Mishra’s mobile tower location shows Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Authorities came to know on Thursday that Mishra, who had been staying alone in his quarters at Kollam, was not there after health department staff, who regularly visit people in quarantine, found the lights in his house switched off, police sources said.

“The officer has gone without prior permission or leave. He did not have any symptoms of the virus. Without informing us, he left. It is a serious matter, the collector said adding Mishra has been asked to provide his current address and travel details to Bengaluru.”

When an officer leaves his jurisdiction, he is supposed to inform the government, which Mishra did not do. He has also not taken prior permission for leaving the state, the later told reporters.

Coronavirus: Conflicts on hold for now as players face a common enemy
 China bars foreign visitors as imported COVID-19 cases rise
The state government has sought an explanation from the officer in this regard.

A case has been registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent Act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule), police said.

Kollam, is the only district in the state, which has not reported any positive case of COVID-19 so far. A total of 176 positive cases have been reported in the state so far.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 14,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 14: Days after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) capped to Rs 35,000 the withdrawal limit of Sri Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday reassured account holders and said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was personally monitoring the issue.

Taking to Twitter, Surya said, "I want to assure all depositors of Sri Guru Raghavendra Co-operative Bank to not panic. Hon'ble Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is appraised of matter and is personally monitoring the issue. She has assured the government will protect interests of depositors. Grateful for her concern."

The Bengaluru South MP also attached a letter in his tweet where he had appraised Sitharaman of the situation.

"Finance Minister, after speaking with the RBI governor and other authorities concerned, assured Surya that the government will do everything in its capacity to protect the interests of the depositors and the long term interests of the bank," the letter read.

It said that Surya also reached out to Sitharaman "three times on January 13" after which she reassured him that the "depositors need not panic".

RBI had, on January 10, imposed certain restrictions on Sri Gururaghavendra Sahakara Bank Niyamitha.

"In particular, a sum not exceeding Rs 35,000 of the total balance in every savings bank or current account or any other deposit account may be allowed to be withdrawn subject to conditions stated in the above RBI directions," the notification said.

The regulatory body said that the bank will continue to undertake banking business with restrictions until its financial position improves.

"These directions shall remain in force for a period of six months from the close of business of January 10 and are subject to review," it said.

The bank has been restricted from granting or renewing any loans and advances, make any investment, incur any liability including borrowal of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits, disburse or agree to disburse any payment whether in discharge of its liabilities and obligations or otherwise, enter into any compromise or arrangement and sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its properties or assets except.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 1,2020

Bengaluru, May 1: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on the occasion of International Labour Day has appealed to migrant workers in the state to stay back and co-operate with it in resuming economic activities once the Central government issues further directions.

"It is my sincere request to all the migrant workers to stay back in the state and co-operate with us to resume the economic activities once we receive directions from Union Government," Yediyurappa said in a release issued by the CMO.

"COVID-19 situation in India is much better than other countries because of people's cooperation.

We intend to resume economic activities soon. The government has already held a meeting with representatives of associations of commerce and industry in this regard. The government has also appealed to the employers to protect the interest of their workers and pay salaries," he added.

The ongoing nationwide lockdown, imposed to contain the coronavirus spread, is scheduled to end on May 3.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.