Prices of sacrificial animals witness sharp hike

Rawalpindi : With just one day left until Eidul Azha, the prices of sacrificial animals have increased sharply as the purchasing process has gained momentum ahead of Eid.

The traders as well as buyers at cattle sale points have also expressed concern over the high cost of the animals as well as transportation charges.

Cattle traders usually come to Rawalpindi from other parts of the district like Chakwal, Fateh jang, Talagang, Attock, Taxila, Gujar Khan and other cities.

People were visiting animal markets to buy or see suitable animals but most of the buyers looked disappointed upon observing the high prices of animals which they said were beyond what they could afford.

The prices of the sacrificial animals have further increased this year as compared to last year owing to an increase in transportation charges and other associated expenses.

Due to the high prices of the sacrificial animals, most people are giving preference to the collective Qurbani ritual instead of sacrificing animals individually on Eidul Azha.

The residents of various localities have arranged for combined sacrifices with the cooperation of various religious and social organizations including local madrassas and mosques.

A large number of people have also arranged for combined qurbani with their relatives and friends.

The prevailing economic crunch leading to limited incomes and livelihood amid steady increases in animal prices in recent years has led to the trend of collective sacrifices, citizen Nadeem said.

Rawalpindi district administration had set up temporary cattle markets at 11 different places in the district in connection with Eidul Azha.

According to a district administration spokesman, five cattle markets were established in Rawalpindi city, two in Gujjar Khan, two in Taxila and one each in Kallar Syedan and Kahuta. The district administration had also issued a notification imposing a ban on the open sale of sacrificial animals.

Assistant Commissioners, Chief Officer Municipal Corporations concerned had been directed to supervise the cattle markets.

According to the spokesman, no one is being allowed to set up a market for sacrificial animals in city areas.

He said that special teams had been formed to take action against the violators, besides imposing fines and confiscating their animals.

Like last year, he said that the sellers of sacrificial animals are not being allowed to enter the city in a bid to keep the city clean.

Earlier, the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation, the Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards had banned the sale of sacrificial animals on stalls or streets ahead of Eidul Azha.

However, the authorities concerned have failed to enforce the ban on the sale of sacrificial animals on roads, streets and markets as several roads of Rawalpindi city and Cantonment areas have been turned into cattle markets. The sellers of all the adjoining areas of Rawalpindi district have stopped taking animals to the dedicated cattle market and have started selling a pair of four to five small animals and two large animals at the temporary set up stall, streets and streets in the city.

The citizens said that the cattle markets were far away and the fare from the cattle market to the city was up to Rs7,000 to 20,000. They said that the prices of animals in local bazaars were up to Rs 20,000 cheaper as compared to the cattle market.

A large number of cattle sellers have preferred to sell their herd in the open market instead of taking them to the dedicated cattle market at Bhatta Chowk due to what they said the increased market fee.

The officials of the Livestock and Health department while talking to APP informed that they have established special camps at the city’s entry points, all cattle markets and sale points of sacrificial animals for the prevention of Congo virus.

All possible precautionary measures in this regard were being taken, they said adding that solid steps for the treatment of animals suffering from any disease including the Congo virus were also being taken so that the citizens could be protected from any threat.

Besides all the sale points and cattle markets were being sprayed, they added.

The staff of the authorities concerned had also been deployed and the exercise would continue without any break till Eidul Azha, they said.