Rs5,000 to slaughter a cow

Butcher says that an amateur may charge less but he spoils the skin and the meat.

SUKKUR: Professional butchers charged as high as Rs5,000 to slaughter a cow on the first day of Eidul Azha in Sukkur.

Waheed Qureshi, a butcher, said that he charged up to Rs5,000 for a cow and Rs1,200 for a goat, depending on the size. He explained that he charged high rates because his method is better than that of an amateur butcher.

“I know very well how to slaughter animals, take off their skin and cut the meat in good pieces,” he said. An amateur may charge less but he spoils the skin and the meat.

Two brothers, Nadeem Qureshi and Saleem Qureshi, said that this was their family’s profession. “A perfect butcher should know how to use the knife, otherwise it is very painful for the animal,” said Nadeem, who was upset that the number of sacrifices have gone down this year. He slaughtered four cows and eight goats on the first day of Eid, last year, but this year the number has halved. “Slaughtering a cow is not something just anyone can do,” said Saleem. The four legs need to be tied properly otherwise the animal can jump and injure someone.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2010.