Kathmandu: Lakhs of people in Nepal are hungry and fighting for
survival after the devastating earthquake. Aid is pouring in from across
the world. Pakistan has also sent aid but the food packets remain untouched. Why?
Pakistan's 'help' has left the predominately Hindu
country shocked as the ready-to-eat food includes packets of 'beef
masala'. After media furore, the Pakistan Prime Ministers' Office issued
an absurd clarification that the food consignment was for the non-Hindu
community of Nepal and that the advice was written on the labels of
food packets.
Cows are considered sacred in Nepal and there is a strict ban on its
slaughter and is punishable with 12 years in prison. Prior to 1990, the
offence attracted death penalty. As per 2011 census, 84 percent
population of Nepal is Hindu, followed by Buddhists who constitute over
10 percent of the population. Effectively, close to 95 percent
population is averse to beef.
While some are calling it insensitive on part of Pakistan to send beef to Nepal, others are seeing a mischief behind the act.
As per a report in Daily Mail, a team of Indian doctors first found out about the contents of the Pakistani aid and alerted the officials.
The report further added that the issue may lead to a diplomatic row between Nepal and Pakistan.
Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Office had rejected reports that it had dispatched packets of ‘beef masala’ to earthquake-hit Nepal.
Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam as saying that there was no beef content in the ready-to-eat food dispatched by Pakistan to Nepal. She urged the Indian media not to ‘malign’ Pakistan, adding that people of Nepal 'really liked' the food and even requested for more.
The RSS has hit out at Pakistan over the issue and called it highly insensitive, a report said. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has also raised the issue and doubted Pakistan's intention behind sending beef as aid to a Hindu country like Nepal.
The toll in the devastating earthquake in Nepal crossed 6,000 mark on Thursday, with over 10,000 injured.
The UN said the quake had impacted eight million in 39 districts, of which over two million live in 11 most severely affected districts.
While some are calling it insensitive on part of Pakistan to send beef to Nepal, others are seeing a mischief behind the act.
As per a report in Daily Mail, a team of Indian doctors first found out about the contents of the Pakistani aid and alerted the officials.
The report further added that the issue may lead to a diplomatic row between Nepal and Pakistan.
Earlier, Pakistan Foreign Office had rejected reports that it had dispatched packets of ‘beef masala’ to earthquake-hit Nepal.
Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune quoted Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam as saying that there was no beef content in the ready-to-eat food dispatched by Pakistan to Nepal. She urged the Indian media not to ‘malign’ Pakistan, adding that people of Nepal 'really liked' the food and even requested for more.
The RSS has hit out at Pakistan over the issue and called it highly insensitive, a report said. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has also raised the issue and doubted Pakistan's intention behind sending beef as aid to a Hindu country like Nepal.
The toll in the devastating earthquake in Nepal crossed 6,000 mark on Thursday, with over 10,000 injured.
The UN said the quake had impacted eight million in 39 districts, of which over two million live in 11 most severely affected districts.