Butchers’ rates go through the roof

Citizens ask administration to regulate rates on Eidul Azha

RAWALPINDI:

With Eidul Azha approaching close, butchers have astronomically increased their rates to slaughter sacrificial animals.

Though the booking for slaughtering sacrificial animals has started, the high rates of butchers have completely baffled the citizens, who have bought or plan to buy animals.

According to the citizens, the butchers were demanding Rs15,000 for slaughtering a bull, Rs25,000 for a camel, and Rs5,000 to Rs7,000 for slaughtering a goat and a sheep.

The citizens have demanded of the local administration to regulate rates of butchers.

Butchers blame inflation for the higher rates.

Chaudhry Basharat, who has bought a bull for the religious ritual, said that earlier, they were concerned about the higher rates of animals in the cattle market but now the butchers’ rates have taken them aback.

“We paid twice as much for a bull and struggled badly to complete the bargain. And now, after talking to three butchers, I realized that their rates have skyrocketed.

According to Basharat, his bull weighs four maund and the butchers have demanded Rs15,000 for slaughtering and chopping the meat. He said that a bull of the same weight was butchered last year for Rs7,000. The rates of butchers have increased 100 per cent in one year, he said.

Zeeshan Shani, who sacrifices a camel yearly, said, “His camel will arrive in Rawalpindi this year on July 2. “Everyone will be astonished if you discuss sacrificing a camel with a butcher. The butcher demand asks for between Rs20,000 and Rs25,000 to slaughter a camel. The final rate will be given after viewing the camel. I don’t understand why the sacrifice ritual has become so difficult,” he said.

Sohail Qureshi, a member of the Rawalpindi butchers’ association, told The Express Tribune that their rates naturally rise with the rise in inflation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2022.