Facilitating citizens: Free bus service for cattle buyers in Multan

The shuttle service will begin at 9am and be available till 9pm daily

MULTAN/BAHAWALPUR/FAISALABAD: Multan DCO Nadir Chattha inaugurated a free transport service on Thursday for citizens travelling to cattle markets from various locations in the city.

“We wanted to facilitate citizens celebrating Eidul Azha,” the DCO said. The initiative would bring cattle sellers and buyers closer, he added.

Waseem Yousuf, a spokesperson of the district government, said the transport service would cover four routes.

Route One would begin at Chungi 9 and end at Fatima Jinnah Housing Scheme. It would pass through Chowk Kumharanwala and Samijabad. Route Two would start at Dera Adda and end at Basti Kayanpur, passing through Old Shujaabad Road. Route Three would begin at Daulat Gate and end at Vehari Bypass near Shell Patrol Pump via Chungi 14. Route Four would pick up commuters at Chungi 9 near Faiz-i-Aam nursery and end at the northern bypass via Nawabpur Road. The bus service will begin at 9am and end at 9pm, he said.

Several people had gathered at the pickup points in the city. Muhammad Khaleel, a commuter at Chungi 9 who was going to board the vehicle for Route Four, said the cattle markets set up for residents of Multan were quite far away from the main city. A lot of citizens had faced problems getting there and then bringing animals for sacrifice back home, he said. “I am truly grateful to the district government for the free transport…this is an excellent initiative.”

Usama, a cattle handler, said he was expecting an increase in the number of prospective buyers at cattle markets. “This could help increase the demand and the prices of animals we will sell,” he said happily.

Abdul Hadi, a prospective buyer at a cattle market, said the transport service was a great idea as it allowed him to visit several cattle markets to get the best bargain. “Usually people visit the nearest cattle market…now we can travel to other cattle markets for free.”

Security arrangements

Rahim Yar Khan DCO Captain (r) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal held a meeting at his office on Thursday to review security arrangements ahead of Eidul Azha.

He told assistant commissioners to coordinate with SDPOs to install surveillance cameras at Eid Gahs and venues for large planned Eid gatherings. Walk-through gates and metal detectors will be placed at the entrances of all venues.

Iqbal said there would be strict action against proscribed organisations collecting donations and animal hides under charity fronts. The same rule applied to NGOs facing a ban.

The DCO instructed government officers to ensure strict monitoring in this regard.  He directed the assistant commissioners to prepare a list of NGOs, organisations and welfare trusts preparing to collect animal hides. “They will be issued permission after the district intelligence committee vets their credentials.” He said no organisation would be allowed to collect hides without first obtaining permission.

The district administration will set up stalls where people can bring hides to donate. The organisations will not be allowed to advertise, set up stalls or go door-to-door to collect hides, the DCO said. “Anyone who disobeys or tries to incite people against the administration will be taken to task under the Anti-Terrorism Act.”

Revenue Department staff should be present at stalls to monitor the organisations and departments collecting hides. Merchants who will buy the hides from these organisations will be bound to provide details of the organisations they buy them from to the district administration, said the DCO.

The Faisalabad district police have announced their security plan for Eidul Azha. More than 3,000 policemen have been assigned security duties on Eidul Azha.

A police spokesperson said on Thursday that 1,200 Eid congregations, including 970 gatherings at mosques and 230 congregations at open places, had been planned in the district.

Teams of the Elite Force had been assigned patrol duties across the district.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2016.