Seasonal butchers find a quick way to make a buck

A window of opportunity opens up for them due to the lack of professionals

LAHORE: Sacrificing an animal is not a separate and specialised trade, says seasonal butcher Ahmed Jutt. “I, along with my father, used to sacrifice an animal every Eidul Azha. When I moved to the big city (Lahore) from Haveli Lakhan, Okara, I found out that there is a demand for this trade. Therefore, I butchered sacrificial animals to make a reasonable profit every year.”

Come Eidul Azha time, residents of Lahore – a city of 11.13 million people, according to the 6th Population and Housing Census 2017, start searching for butchers.

The lack of professional butchers opens up a window of opportunity for amateurs who take up the trade for the three days to make an extra buck. Many labourers find it a quick money making scheme. Such amateur butchers can even rent knives and other instruments for one, two or three days.

Jutt has worked many trades and his current day job is that of a supervisor at a factory on the outskirts of Lahore.

Previously, he has worked as a guard for a private security company and also knows how to tailor. Over the years, he has also assembled a small team which works alongside him to sacrifice the animal and remove its hide.

“I have a dozen or so regular clients for Eid. After I am finished slaughtering their animals, my friends and I roam different neighbourhoods to find more work. Often, the client refers us to other people, including relatives or neighbours who struggle to find a butcher. In total, we get around 40 jobs in three days. Some homes have more than one sacrificial animal so we make a reasonable income during the three days of Eid.”

Jutt says he charges Rs2,000 for a goat or sheep and Rs4,000 for a bull from his regulars, while the rates go up for others. Boasting of his skills, he says, “I can do a good job and fast. That is why my regular customers call me every Eid.”

However, not every amateur butcher has happy customers. Ali Akbar, a resident of Township, recalls a bitter experience a couple of years ago. “I was unable to find a butcher to slaughter my sacrificial animal. Then, I saw a man roaming our neighbourhood with knives so I approached and hired him for the job. His knife was blunt and the animal suffered as a result. After that day, I vowed not to hire an amateur butcher.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2017.