Retired army man milks cattle market for all its worth ahead of Eid
New management at the Superhighway sacrificial animal mandi raise charges and devise new ones.
KARACHI:
For 12 years, the country’s largest cattle market along the Superhighway was headed by Shahab Ali Ikram and his brother Faisal of Faisal Brothers Company. But this year, the contract has been given out to a new person and a new administrator, a Colonel (ret’d) Tariq Zubair Malik, has taken charge.
This has made the market 200% more commercial, complained the owner of the Sheikh Mahd Cattle Farm. “We thought that bringing retired army personnel would be beneficial by making the charges for land and facilities rational, but we were wrong,” said Moeid Sultan, the trader.
There is a marked change. Previously only six blocks of the dusty market were rented and the rest of the blocks for free or available at relatively lower rates. This year twenty blocks have been put up for rent that ranges from Rs30,000 to Rs100,000 to the farmers coming from rural Sindh and Punjab. Traders complained that the trucks of animals were also being made to pay in the thousands of rupees.
On the outside, the charges appear the same as last year’s. Entry for each animal is Rs850 compared to Rs800 from last year. A car pass is Rs5,000, the same as last year’s. But this year some surprises were in store for traders.
They have not been allowed to bring their own decorative lights or set up their own generators inside the tents. The decorations can only be provided by the management - that charges a pretty penny for them.
An owner of Taj Haider Cattle Farm argued with the management. He wanted to use his decorative lights from last year. Trader Moeid Sultan wasn’t allowed to bring his own generator, and as a result pays Rs5,000 every day for the one provided by the market.
Banner showing sturdy animals with sexy names are also fewer this year. Owners explained that the market was charging for them to put up banners even inside tents. “They want us to get them made from their people, who are charging Rs75 per square feet.” The outside rate is Rs40.
There is a shortage of water supplies too. Drinking water has gone from Rs30 to Rs100 per gallon. Riaz Ali, who brought his animals from Nawabshah, said that the water is dirty and expensive. “I am spending just Rs100 on drinking water for every animal. How will I feed all of them?”
About 90,000 animals have been brought so far and 200,000 are expected in the coming days.
Excited buyers coming to the far-flung market left disappointed by the extra charges. Haji Rehman, who bought a black spotted cow for Rs35,000 flashed a receipt for Rs200 in ramp charges to load the animal on to a Suzuki.
War of words
For his part, the new market administrator Colonel (retired) Tariq Zubair said that the previous managers were a ‘mafia’. He argued that unlike previous years, no unbranded soft drinks or juices were allowed inside and a proper media cell was set up. He added that water was being provided from a nearby hydrant.
The former administrator, Shahab Ikram, said he was disappointed when he did not get the contract this year. “These retired army men should only stay in their offices,” he said. “What do they know of running a mandi and being out in the sun and mud along with the animals?”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2012.
For 12 years, the country’s largest cattle market along the Superhighway was headed by Shahab Ali Ikram and his brother Faisal of Faisal Brothers Company. But this year, the contract has been given out to a new person and a new administrator, a Colonel (ret’d) Tariq Zubair Malik, has taken charge.
This has made the market 200% more commercial, complained the owner of the Sheikh Mahd Cattle Farm. “We thought that bringing retired army personnel would be beneficial by making the charges for land and facilities rational, but we were wrong,” said Moeid Sultan, the trader.
There is a marked change. Previously only six blocks of the dusty market were rented and the rest of the blocks for free or available at relatively lower rates. This year twenty blocks have been put up for rent that ranges from Rs30,000 to Rs100,000 to the farmers coming from rural Sindh and Punjab. Traders complained that the trucks of animals were also being made to pay in the thousands of rupees.
On the outside, the charges appear the same as last year’s. Entry for each animal is Rs850 compared to Rs800 from last year. A car pass is Rs5,000, the same as last year’s. But this year some surprises were in store for traders.
They have not been allowed to bring their own decorative lights or set up their own generators inside the tents. The decorations can only be provided by the management - that charges a pretty penny for them.
An owner of Taj Haider Cattle Farm argued with the management. He wanted to use his decorative lights from last year. Trader Moeid Sultan wasn’t allowed to bring his own generator, and as a result pays Rs5,000 every day for the one provided by the market.
Banner showing sturdy animals with sexy names are also fewer this year. Owners explained that the market was charging for them to put up banners even inside tents. “They want us to get them made from their people, who are charging Rs75 per square feet.” The outside rate is Rs40.
There is a shortage of water supplies too. Drinking water has gone from Rs30 to Rs100 per gallon. Riaz Ali, who brought his animals from Nawabshah, said that the water is dirty and expensive. “I am spending just Rs100 on drinking water for every animal. How will I feed all of them?”
About 90,000 animals have been brought so far and 200,000 are expected in the coming days.
Excited buyers coming to the far-flung market left disappointed by the extra charges. Haji Rehman, who bought a black spotted cow for Rs35,000 flashed a receipt for Rs200 in ramp charges to load the animal on to a Suzuki.
War of words
For his part, the new market administrator Colonel (retired) Tariq Zubair said that the previous managers were a ‘mafia’. He argued that unlike previous years, no unbranded soft drinks or juices were allowed inside and a proper media cell was set up. He added that water was being provided from a nearby hydrant.
The former administrator, Shahab Ikram, said he was disappointed when he did not get the contract this year. “These retired army men should only stay in their offices,” he said. “What do they know of running a mandi and being out in the sun and mud along with the animals?”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 16th, 2012.