Religious obligation: Inflation forces collective Eid sacrifice

ISLAMABAD:

Soaring prices of animals are forcing a large number of residents of Islamabad to opt for collective sacrifice on Eidul Azha.

The prices of animals have increased by almost 80 per cent this year making it impossible for most of the capital’s residents to make an individual sacrifice.

Religious and social organizations like Edhi Foundation, have arranged collective sacrifices to facilitate people in the process and they can now perform the religious obligation by spending Rs9,000 to Rs10,000 — sharing a collective sacrifice.

Several factors are attributed to high prices of animals,such as inflation, smuggling and export of cattle heads to neighbouring countries. Moreover, the recent earthquake and floods have badly hit the livestock.

According to a market survey, the price of a goat weighing 18 to 20 kilograms ranges between Rs20,000 and Rs25,000, while a sheep of the same weight is sold at Rs17,000 to Rs20,000.

Javed Arshad, a resident of Sector I-10 said,”The price of a cow or ox of normal weight ranges between Rs35,000 and  Rs40,000 while a healthy animal is priced at over Rs60,000 at the capital’s cattle market.”

According to the traders, a large number of animals have died in the recent floods, which is one of the reasons for the high prices.

Aslam, a resident of Sector G-9, said,”owing to the inflation and increase in prices of commodities, who can afford to sacrifice an animal individually.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2013.