Ebad wants online shopping option for ‘Asia’s largest cattle market’

Karachi
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has directed the authorities concerned to introduce an online shopping system in the biggest makeshift market of sacrificial animals set up every year off Superhighway Highway on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
The governor issued these directives while chairing a meeting to review arrangements and affairs pertaining to the market of sacrificial animals, boasted by the authorities concerned to be Asia’s biggest cattle market.
He said it was expected that a large number of prospective buyers, including women and children, turn up at the cattle market owing to the improved law and order situation in the city. Hence, he said, proper civic facilities should be provided at the market for making it a true role model in the entire continent, as it was claimed to be.
He ordered the administration responsible for managing affairs of the makeshift cattle market to provide maximum facilities and convenience to the prospective buyers of sacrificial animals.
He also issued directives to establish a mobile veterinary hospital near the cattle market and observed that the practice of collecting heavy fees on the pretext of issuing health and fitness certificates to animals should be put to an end because it increased prices of animals for the buyers.
The officials of Cantonment Board Malir (CBM), under whose municipal jurisdiction the cattle market is set up every year, informed the governor that market this year will cover an area of 700 acres area on one side of the Superhighway.
The CBM officials said that facilities of a veterinary hospital, communication and franchises of known restaurants would also be provided at the market.
They assured that water will be made available a through tanker service for which certain hydrants have been reserved, while generators would also be on standby for uninterrupted power supply at the market.
They said the makeshift market will also have facilities of widened parking lots, which will be free for all, ATM machines, playing area for children, while certain bank branches would operate near the market round the clock.
They said certain banks have introduced the facility of special pre-paid cards so prospective buyers would not be required to carry heavy sums of cash with them when they come to the market to purchase sacrificial animals.
The meeting was attended by Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, governor’s principal secretary Muhammad Hussain Syed, secretaries of home and local government departments, station commander of Malir Cantonment, executive officer of MCB, DIG East and deputy commissioner Malir.