Unauthorised cattle markets spring up in Pindi

Officials say July 31 is the last date for organisations to register for collecting hides

RAWALPINDI: Despite the fact that the district administration has imposed a ban on the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals from makeshift cattle markets in the streets of the Rawalpindi, a number of such markets have mushroomed across the city, particularly in the old parts of the city, posing a challenge to the writ of the district administration.

Moreover, the prices of sacrificial animals have skyrocketed.

The ban on cattle markets ahead of Eidul Azha had been imposed on the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner. Despite that, cattle herders have started placing their animals across the city in a bid to make a quick sale. These impromptu cattle markets can be seen on Adiyala road, Dhamial, Morgah, Kotha Kalan, Bakra Mandi, Dohke Syedan, Ghazni Road, Peshawar Mor, IJ Principal Road, Pirwudhai, New Katarian, High Court Road, Raja Bazaar, Bara Market, Fawara Chowk, Dengi Khoi, Waris Khan, Naz Cinema, College Road, Benazir Bhutto Road, Lal Kurti, Dheri Hassanabad and Saddar Bazaar among other prominent places.

The prices of animals at these impromptu markets are quite high with medium-sized goats priced at Rs60,000 to Rs80,000. Sheep have been priced at Rs50,000 all the way up to Rs100,000.

The price of Oxen starts from Rs100,000 and goes as high as Rs180,000 in some places. The price for camels starts from Rs130,000 to Rs175,000.

Saleem Butt, who was looking at animals at one of the road-side markets said that the high prices of sacrificial animals may fall when more sacrificial animals arrive in the city and there are fewer days left until Eidul Azha.

Online sales

One thing attracting residents of the twin cities is the online sale of sacrificial animals. Buyers can order any animal of their liking after selecting them from 'Online Bakra Mandi'. The e-commerce market for sacrificial animals provides photos, videos, audio and other description of the animals including their genus and prices.

Some citizens said that they prefer to pay a little more rather than spend time haggling over the prices with illiterate cattle dealers.

Registration date for hide collectors

Charity organizations intending to collect hides of sacrificial animals have been directed to submit their registration applications to the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner’s office by July 31.

A district government spokesperson said that permission letters from Rawalpindi DC Ali Randhawa were necessary for any group, organizations, seminaries and NGOs to collect hides as the Punjab Home Department had imposed a ban on collection of hides of sacrificial animals by unauthorized persons and banned organizations.

Special teams to take action against the violators will be constituted at tehsil level.

Authorised organizations will set up their collection points over the three days of Eid ul Azha in consultation with local administration and police.

Any organization or individual found collecting hides of sacrificial animals without prior approval of the district administration will be considered to have committed a criminal offence and strict action will be taken against them as per law.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2019.