Butchers turn VIP as demand peaks

Professional butchers have become "VIPs" ahead of Eidul Azha as slaughter and meat preparation rates for sacrificial animals have been fixed, with bookings for the first day reportedly closed amid high demand.

According to details, butcher shops across the twin cities have been shut for the next six weeks and are expected to reopen in early July. However, butchers from rural Rawalpindi, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and nearby areas of Hazara, Haripur, Abbottabad, and Azad Kashmir have arrived in Islamabad and Rawalpindi with their tools to meet Eid demand.

Rates for slaughter and meat processing have been set separately for each Eid day. On the first day, slaughtering and meat preparation of large animals (cattle) is set at Rs25,000, while small animals (goat and sheep) are priced at Rs12,000. On the second day, rates are Rs23,000 for large animals and Rs10,000 for small animals, while on the third day charges drop to Rs20,000 and Rs9,000 respectively.