Controversy surrounding a shipment of 21,000 Australian sheep in Pakistan escalated yesterday when the country’s Government ordered that the animals be destroyed on the grounds they have been infected with disease.

Australian Government and livestock export industry representatives maintain that tests conducted on departure from Australia and on arrival in Pakistan indicate that the sheep are healthy, and say they are yet to see evidence from Pakistan that some are carrying infection.

In a statement issued to media yesterday, Wellard Rural Exports said it has received advice that a state veterinary department in Pakistan has issued orders preventing Australian sheep exported to Pakistan from entering the consumer supply chain, and ordering that the sheep be euthanised.

The statement says the orders contradict previous advice from Pakistan regulatory authorities that blood tests taken from the sheep were either still being tested, or confirmed the sheep were free from disease and were therefore safe for human consumption.

The exporter said the sheep were also physically inspected by Pakistan’s veterinary health officials on arrival and were approved for import and were assessed and approved by the Australian Government as meeting export animal health protocols.

“Wellard and the Australian Government are now working with the Pakistan Government to stop the sheep being euthanised while a Pakistan Government committee conducts its own testing program.”

Wellard Managing Director Mauro Balzarini said the company was not sure what was going on “as the sheep are healthy”.

“They are from healthy Australian flocks that feed Australian and international consumers with chops and roasts on a daily basis with no risk to human health,” he said.

"Previous tests have demonstrated that the sheep are healthy and free of disease and sheep from the same consignment have been accepted without issue in other markets.

“We have senior people in Pakistan at the moment and are working with the Australian Government and Pakistan authorities to suspend and overturn the order.

“The sheep were farmed for human consumption, so it is disappointing that some healthy sheep are being euthanised when they are absolutely safe to be processed as intended."

“It is unclear on what animal health grounds the orders were enacted.

A spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry told Beef Central yesterday the reported culling was “concerning” and the department was urgently seeking information from the exporter and the High Commission in Pakistan.

The department says the livestock delivered to Pakistan were inspected and certified by the Australian government to meet international standards and met Pakistan’s animal health requirements for imported sheep.

“The animal health requirements were verified with Pakistan officials before Australia issued the animal health certificate

“The animals were inspected by Pakistan’s veterinary health officials on arrival and were approved as meeting Pakistan requirements.

“The same ship that carried the sheep to Pakistan also delivered sheep to Muscat in Oman and Doha in Qatar where they were unloaded without incident and are being processed.

“ The shipment of sheep was diverted to Pakistan to ensure the welfare of the sheep – not because of health risks.”

The DAFF spokesman said Australia’s animal health status was one of the highest in the world. “This has been independently verified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).”

ABC Radio’s South Asia Correspondent Michael Edwards this morning reported that Pakistan's meat exporters association believes the decision to cull the sheep is probably being driven by commercial and political motives.

While Pakistani agricultural officials say their tests conclusively prove disease is present in the sheep, All Pakistan Meat Exporters Association spokesman Syed Hassan Raza told the ABC the testing process was flawed and the animals are healthy.

He said he suspected commercial and political motives were driving the decision to destroy the animals.

"We personally feel that there are some hidden interests of the local people in Karachi and most probably whatever is going on, it is not on merit," he said.

"They are just doing it because their interests are not served."

About 600 have already been killed, but the slaughter has currently been suspended.