Cattle smuggling increases prices of sacrificial animals

Prices of buffalos have risen by 30%; home dept issues warning.

PESHAWAR/ DI KHAN:

Despite the government’s claims to have curbed cattle smuggling to Afghanistan, and in turn reduced the price of animals, residents of Peshawar claim the prices of sacrificial animals are sky-rocketing.

With only a week left to buy animals for Eidul Azha, neither buyers nor sellers in Peshawar are happy with the prices settled on for livestock. Cattle sellers have asked for almost a 50% increase in the prices as compared to last year. The prices of buffalos have also been reportedly increased by 30%.

Although there is no shortage in the local markets, it has been assumed that the main reason for the increase in prices has been the illegal smuggling across the border through the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). Earlier, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) took suo motu notice of the illegal activity and banned export of all cattle and poultry to Afghanistan, fearing that there could be a shortage of meat in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

On Friday, the Home and Tribal Affairs Department issued a final warning to the director of anti-corruption (DAC), regional police officers and district coordination officers in the province to stop all exports of cattle to Afghanistan, which are now being smuggled. The department also issued a statement to all divisional commissioners, RPOs and DCOs, especially in Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat and Tank, instructing them to take immediate action against illegal export of livestock. The statement also said that the DAC had been directed to submit his final report about the situation to the home department within three days. Officials concerned have been told that if they fail to control such activities they may be summoned by the PHC.

Buyers in both North and South Waziristan are also finding the prices of sacrificial animals too high. The locals also correlate the increase in prices to the smuggling to Afghanistan.

Liaqat Ali, a resident of Mir Ali, told The Express Tribune that he purchased a cow at Rs40,000 for this Eid, adding that last year the price for the animal would not have been more than Rs30,000. Ali said that when he went to the Mir Ali livestock market, he saw several vehicles, loaded with animals, that were going to be taken to Afghanistan. Some animals are also smuggled through unconventional routes via mountainous trails.

Cattle dealers in the north of Fata are also aware of the smuggling. Naveed Khan, a cattle dealer from Mohmand Agency, said an astounding number of people were involved in the smuggling. “People in Afghanistan prefer to have larger, communal sacrificial animals rather than smaller animals like goats and sheep,” he said.

He also said that people were bringing sheep and goats from Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan and selling them at large profits in markets in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2012.