Do Pakistanis eat this much red meat?

First on BP

I was surprised when I perused the dinner menu at Californiakistan's dinner dawat and found not a single vegetarian option.

Having primarily socialized at Indian (Sindhi) gatherings since 2010, where vegetarian and chicken dishes are customary alongside generous servings of lamb, this absence struck me as peculiar. As an aside seems odd to witness vegetarian mothers preparing meat dishes for their children, or fasting mothers preparing such fare.

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but be intrigued by the menu, perhaps due to my own carnivorous inclinations (the menu did speak to me somewhat). Personally, I derive great satisfaction from consuming meat (particularly pork, which strikes a balance between red and white meat, and I have a fondness for duck as well, perhaps I was Chinese in a previous life), while feeling overly full after carb-heavy meals. However, as I perused the comments section, I stumbled upon an enlightening observation:

This revelation shed light that this was Pathan-Afghan (the Iranic) bits of Pakistan rather than "Indian" parts of Pakistan that still emphasize on carbohydrates and vegetables. Nevertheless, I believe there's still room for improvement, as the focus seems to lean heavily in one direction but then Afghan culture seems very steppe inflected and not as settled (I'm firmly of the opinion that India civilised the Central Asian hordes).

I recall a commentator on BP mentioning some time ago that while we may be familiar with Indian mega-cuisines like Mughlai and South Indian, there exist highly specific & exotic meat-eating cultures in regional and local cuisines (much like the Thais, who have a penchant for meat, suggesting that Northeasterners might share similar preferences).

Observing mainstream Indian dietary habits, I've noticed that even those who enjoy meat tend to consume it in moderation compared to Pakistani standards. Controversially, I'd argue that Indian cuisine showcases much more delicacy, particularly evident in the intricate preparation of vegetarian dishes.

However, this finesse often comes with a downside - a heavy reliance on carbohydrates. It's no secret that South Asian food culture tends towards the unhealthy side (with South Asians having the paunch say in comparison compared to their much leaner Southeast Asian counterparts). Ideally, there should be a better balance struck between protein, carbohydrates, and fats, with each contributing a third to create a more wholesome dietary landscape.

Ps: As an aside I found it rather that the Thais of the interwar period were skeptical of pork as a "Chinese meat." How culinary tastes can rapidly evolve in a generation or two.