Sacrificial animals’ trade touches new heights

Cattle markets severely disrupt Rawalpindi’s traffic flow

RAWALPINDI:

With Eidul Azha just around the corner, the trade of sacrificial animals has touched new heights in the garrison city.

After the disbursement of government employees' salaries, Eid shopping has also commenced in various shopping centres. However, the presence of 11 small and large cattle markets this year has led to a complete disruption of the city's traffic and pedestrian transit systems. Vehicles get trapped in these areas from morning till 2pm, causing inconvenience to residents.

The sale of goats and sheep has decreased this year due to the high costs.

On the other hand, the purchase of large animals remains relatively higher. So far, only two camels have been bought at the main cattle market, with camel dealers stating that the price ranges from Rs0.3 to Rs0.5 million this year.

Transporting the sacrificial animals from the market to homes has become a major challenge, with costs ranging from Rs2,500 to Rs4,000. Additionally, the district administration has issued an order to close down all cattle markets on July 1.

This directive applies to all contractors, dealers, and subordinate authorities.

Meanwhile, Eid shopping is underway at various shopping centres in Saddar, as well as commercial areas throughout the city, including Moti Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Bara Bazaar, Tench Bhatta Bazaar, and Bohar Bazar Commercial Market. Due to the heat, the marketplaces remain empty during the day, and people prefer to go shopping in the evening.

Cattle markets
infection-free

With Eidul Azha a couple of days away, the livestock department is hoping for an infection-free celebration as all the animals inspected at cattle markets across the Rawalpindi district have been found to be healthy.

The animal inspection will continue through the three days of the sacrificial festival after which the cattle markets, big and small, wrap up.

The screening and testing of animals took place upon their entrance to the markets. The animals were examined by veterinarians. A concentrated plan was put in place under which checkposts and pickets were established at the entrance points of the city to check for cattle being brought into the district.

Special centers were set up for the inspection of animals within the livestock markets. In these sections, the animals were tested for diseases such as lumpy skin, ringworm and maggots.

All the animals brought to the cattle markets established in Rawalpindi, Taxila, Gujar Khan and other places have been confirmed to be healthy, said the livestock department.

Inspection teams with veterinarians were deployed at entrances as well as cattle markets established in all the tehsils, including Bhatta Ground, the largest centre for buying and selling sacrificial animals in Rawalpindi.

The additional director of the livestock department, Dr Naveeda Sahar Zaidi, told The Express Tribune that all animals brought to the markets were examined and none of them were found to be infected.

Dr Zaidi said that last year, animals were quarantined after they were found infected with any disease. This time, such a situation didn’t arise, she added.

The main cattle market at Bhatta Chowk Rawalpindi went for Rs89.5 million. Thousands of animals are bought and sold at the site, particularly on the last days before Eid. The area spans 20 acres and comes under the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB).

A large number of animals are brought from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) to Bhatta Ground. Similarly, there are smaller cattle markets across the district in Taxila, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Rawat and Gujar Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2023.