KARACHI: With Eidul Azha just a few days away, a number of cattle markets have cropped up along the roadside in Karachi despite the designation of only six such places.
Taking note of the mess, Rana Faizul Hasan, the general secretary of a welfare organisation, filed a petition in the Sindh High Court, asking it to direct the authorities to remove the unauthorised markets for sale of sacrificial animals.
Like previous years, cattle markets were to be set up only at Superhighway; Cattle Colony in Bin Qasim Town; Malir Bakrapiri in Landhi; Mawach Goth of Baldia Town; and on Manghopir Road near Hub Dam.
The city administration had notified the areas for establishing markets and the Sindh home department had also imposed a ban on setting up illegal cattle markets under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the petitioner submitted. Despite that, dozens of such markets have emerged in areas of Gulberg Town, Shah Faisal Colony, Korangi, Landhi, Banaras and near Safari Park.
Due to these illegal cattle markets, many major thoroughfares have been clogged and are resulting in unnecessary traffic jams, Hasan stated. The petitioner alleged that police and political parties were also patronising the illegal activity.
On Monday, the division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqir took up the case. Hasan appealed to the judges to direct the home secretary and the Sindh IGP to ensure that the ban is enforced and all such unauthorised markets are removed. The Traffic DIG should also be directed to assist the officials to avert gridlocks, he requested. After hearing the preliminary arguments, the court issued notices to the provincial chief secretary and the secretaries of home and local governments, the Karachi commissioner, the police chief, the Traffic DIG among other respondents for November 1.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2012.
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The petition has to be considered by the court not only in respect to the problem of traffic jam but also in respect to the sentiments of a minority community who consider cows as a pious animal . Recently I saw in Delhi some wahabi were selling camal openly near the Jama masjid deliberatly adjuscent to a Jain temple . Such HIMAAKAT is only expected from a section of muslim community in India on the name of religion .
By the time the courts summons the case, Eid would be over and issue settled. Why does court involve itself in time wasting activity. Why aren't they interested in settling the pending cases.