Illegal cattle markets disrupt daily life

Despite ban, animal vendors squat in major public areas

RAWALPINDI:

With the festival of sacrifice around the corner, numerous illegal cattle markets have cropped up across the Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas.

The daily lives of the citizens are being badly affected due to the establishment of illegal cattle markets at six different locations in the city as well as the selling of sacrificial animals by vendors in the streets.

Sources said despite a ban by the district administration on the sale of sacrificial animals outside the official cattle markets, several illegal markets have cropped up in the district ahead of Eidul Azha.

Vendors arriving from different cities reach the main thoroughfares of the city to sell the sacrificial animals in the evening, causing traffic jams and other problems.

Cattle vendors have set up illegal markets in Bagh-e-Sardaran, Bani Chowk, Chungi No. 22, Katarian Market, Pindora and Chour Chowk.

Mehboob Shahzad, a resident of the Bagh-e-Sardaran area, said: “Every year at the onset of Eid season, these people come here with their animals and create problems for the traffic flow.”

“Although the officials of the district administration also commute here no action is taken against these illegal cattle markets,” he lamented.

“In case of a traffic jam, they take their animals inside the residential areas which is also a big problem for residents,’ they said and demanded the government take action against illegal cattle markets and rid the people of this disruption.

On the other hand, Ghulam Murtaza, a cattle merchant, while talking to The Express Tribune said the process of sale and purchase was not started yet in the official cattle markets of city and cantonment areas.

“We are also facing a shortage of facilities in these markets,” he claimed, adding the contractors of the official cattle markets demand huge entry fees for the sacrificial animals.

“The entry charges for large animals like cow and bull are Rs3,000 and for goat and sheep are Rs2000,” he explained and said they only get permission to enter the official markets after payment of entry fees.

The vendor said there were many other expenses for the sacrificial animals before they were sold out to the customers. “The cost of sacrificial animals is already high. Should we pay the market fee or arrange for animal feed,” he questioned.

“In such a situation, the only solution left for us is to set up markets within the city so that the citizens do not have to go to distant areas to buy sacrificial animals,” he said. “If the administration sets up free markets, we will take the animals there.”

On the other hand, officials of the district administration said that there was a ban on setting up illegal cattle markets in the city and the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals in different areas and on roads was also illegal.

“The district administration has issued directives to the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation in this regard and different teams are being formed to stop the animal trade in illegal cattle markets,” they explained.

They said a crackdown will be launched on the illegal cattle markets set up at important public places. “The animals will be confiscated and heavy fines will be imposed on their owners,” they said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2023.