In spite of viagra being outlawed in Pakistan, males looking to increase their sexual activity still choose a fake “aphrodisiac.” In Rawalpindi’s Raja Bazar, oil extracted from an Indian spiny-tailed lizard is on sale as a treatment for impotence. However, no scientific proof exists to support the claim that it enhances performance in bed.
The lizards, which can grow up to 60 cm (24 inches) in length as adults, are caught as they come out from their underground living spaces to enjoy the sunshine in Punjab and Sindh provinces’ fields. The ‘magical’ oil is actually freshly extracted lizard fat, marinated in scorpion oil and seasoned with a pungent red spice – or Sanda tael. It is being widely sold in Pakistan after a ban was imposed on Viagra.
According to reports, the sellers first catch these lizards by laying a web of fishing wire snares on the plateaus. Then they immediately kill the lizards to ensure that the quick reptile does not escape. Its innards are then cooked on a crude gas hob. The oil is sold in the black market. It looks cola coloured with the whiff of the burnt frying pan. And most importantly, it does not have any scientific backing.
Pakistani men are buying this quack medicine to increase their sexual potency. The claims made by sellers are weird. The experiences shared by users are weirder than these claims. A 40-year-old seller says while selling this oil, “You just apply five drops over the affected area and massage. It does magic in terms of promoting sexual stamina. It is a solution to bring joy and happiness. It makes the users strong like steel. It will make your wife happy. Buy it try it.” On the other hand, a 62-year-old user of this oil said that it really works like a miracle. He also vividly described his sexual performance.
This allegedly multipurpose oil is also used for joint aches, back pain, sciatica, and hair fall. The sellers also claim that they have customers from Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Sharjah, Malaysia and several African countries.
Pakistan is a country that has a religiously driven society where having many babies is socially expected, and infertility is heavily stigmatised. As Viagra is termed illegal in Pakistan, people are widely using this quackery treatment for sexual dysfunction problems.
