Ready for Eid: The cows are back in town

AC facility installed at one of the VIP blocks for the first time

KARACHI: As a 16-wheeler carrying hundreds of cows comes to a stop at the city's cattle market in Sohrab Goth, a crowd of excited youth pushes through the cloud of dust to surround it. Someone says, "Wait for my kids before dislodging the cows."

Another man shouts, "Carry them on your shoulders."

Meanwhile, a third person suggests placing something below the truck before dislodging an animal, else they'll break their legs.

Somroo then placed bags full of cow feed beneath the truck's ramp to create a path for the cows and asked the excited crowd to step back.

He stood outside the truck and tried to drag a black cow out with a rope tied through the cow's nostrils, with his brother pushing its tail from inside the truck. After a brief struggle, the cow climbed down and ran off, scared by the crowd's hooting.

As Eidul Azha approaches, an increasing influx of cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats and camels can be seen in the city's cattle market in Sohrab Goth.

Occupied by bulky and healthy animals, an increasing rush of customers was witnessed by The Express Tribune outside Khalq cattle farm in the cattle market for sacrificial animals being set up in Sohrab Goth.



"It will be a banquet. It will have an air conditioner inside and the animals and visitors will be at ease," boasted the farm's caretaker, Alla Bux.

This will be the first time, according to the animal market spokesperson Abu Bakar, that an AC facility has been established inside one of the VIP blocks at the cattle market. "We wanted to do something different and decided to erect an air conditioned banquet for sacrificial animals," he said, adding that they have installed 150 kilovolt generator of 70 tonnes for this purpose and occupied a space of 160 by 180 feet.

The animal market, according to Bakar, is spread over 800 acres with a total of 28 blocks, out of which six are VIP and 22 general blocks.

Two blocks have been allocated to goats, he said, adding that the market currently hosts over 100,000 animals.

The fee for the entry of a cow in the market is Rs1,400 and a goat Rs800. There's also a separate space for a mosque inside the animal market.

In order to store water, cemented wells are being made in each block while free of charge parking facilities are being arranged inside the market.



Banks and other money transfer solution providers will be providing facilities for the safe deposit and transfer of money at the market.

There's also a provision for the vaccination of an animal.

Housing societies

Not everyone seems to be pleased with the presence of the market at the Super Highway as several housing societies are rapidly cropping in the vicinity. It has resulted in many troubles, especially for the residents of nearby localities who cannot commute freely due to the security measures implemented in the area.

People living in these localities, which lie in the space allocated to the market or adjacent to it, are facing hurdles while commuting to and from their residences. Often, the residents have to quarrel with the security guards at the cattle market when they are travelling. A resident of the area, Ali Mushtaq, told The Express Tribune that the administration of the market promises to relocate it each year, but never fulfill it.

"We face immense problems. Our privacy is taken away," he lamented.



The thousands of bovines from Punjab and interior Sindh that made their way to what is considered Asia's biggest cattle market pray rain not to fall before Eid. "Cows never sit on wet land," said Muhammad Ramazan, who brought 50 cows all the way from Rahim Yar Khan, investing about Rs100,000. "Since the last two years, rain has been creating havoc for our business."

He also complained that there were no arrangements of a vet inside the market and no one checked their animals when they crossed the toll plaza.