Srinagar, July 23: Amid ongoing difficulties in transporting livestock to the Kashmir Valley, the Mutton Dealers Association of Kashmir has raised serious allegations of extortion against authorities and middlemen at various checkpoints in Punjab. The dealers claim that Kashmir-bound trucks carrying sheep and goats are being illegally stopped and extorted, particularly at the Shambu border and Madhopur in Punjab.
Led by General Secretary Mehrajuddin Ganai, a delegation of mutton dealers called on J&K’s Food and Supplies Minister Satish Sharma to formally convey their concerns. According to Ganai, truck drivers ferrying livestock to Kashmir are routinely forced to pay bribes ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per truck—a burden that is neither sustainable nor justifiable.
“This is sheer harassment. It is not just about money; it’s about the dignity of labour and the free flow of essential supplies. We met the Honourable Minister and requested immediate intervention,” Mehrajuddin Ganai told the news agency Kashmir News Trust. The delegation also raised the matter with the CM Secretariat, urging the Jammu and Kashmir government to take up the issue with its counterpart in Punjab.
The Food and Supplies Minister assured prompt action, stating that such illegal practices will not be tolerated.
Ganai further appealed to the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah to dispatch a high-level delegation to Punjab, ideally headed by a cabinet minister, to negotiate a permanent resolution to this recurring problem. He pointed out that a similar step was taken in 2016 under the then-government, which had yielded positive results.
“Mutton dealers are optimistic that the present Chief Minister will show the same seriousness and resolve the issue once and for all,” Ganai said. He stressed that the livelihood of thousands of people and the supply of mutton across the Valley is at stake due to such ongoing hurdles.
The dealers have also asked for the establishment of a monitoring mechanism to ensure the safe and hassle-free movement of livestock from Punjab to Kashmir, especially during peak seasons and festivals.
“The mutton trade is a vital part of Kashmir’s economy, and any disruption directly affects both traders and consumers. As such, the traders are pinning their hopes on swift administrative and political intervention to end what we call a systematic pattern of exploitation and harassment on the highways of Punjab,” Mehrajuddin Ganai said. [KNT]
