KARACHI: Pakistan has the potential to meet demand for halal meat and its by-products, speakers at a seminar said on Wednesday.

“Global halal markets include not only Islamic banking and finance, but also food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, education, chemical, travel, tourism and hospitality industries,” said Ahmed Ali Siddiqui, director at the Centre for Excellence in Islamic Finance at the Institute of Business Administration.

Islamic finance is a critical component of the Halal market, he said. For a product to be completely halal, its ingredients as well as financing and manufacturing process must be Shariah-compliant, he added.

Mufti NajeebKhan, who has been associated with the halal food industry for the past decade, said that Islamic finance and the halal food industry are growing in Pakistan.

Although consumers tend to think all food products in Pakistan are halal, the country is flooded with non-compliant items in seafood, chicken and chocolate segments, according to a speaker.

Published in Dawn February 2nd, 2017