As only five days are left for the Eid-ul-Azha, the buyers herding cattle markets in Rawalpindi are left with little option but to return home without buying sacrificial animals.
Residents, who arrived at the Bhatta Chowk sale point along with their overjoyed children, told this agency on Sunday that the animal sellers were demanding overpriced rates that were beyond their buying power. Saeed Khan, a buyer at the market, said last year he purchased a small goat of 20 kilograms against Rs 55,000, but now the same animal was being sold at up to Rs 100,000, which indicated that the rate of sacrificial animals had gone up by 100 per cent.
Humayun Shahzad, another buyer, at Adiala Road market said the rates of goats, sheep, buffalos and cows were overstated, forcing the people to go home empty-handed.
He said buffalos and cows of 100 kilograms, which were available at no more than Rs 150,000 last year, were being sold up to Rs 300,000 this year.
Giving details about online shopping of sacrificial animals, Khursheed Ahmed Qureshi, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Livestock and Dairy Development Directorate, said that the online shopping of sacrificial animals had reached up to 70 per cent after the Covid-19 pandemic era, adding that people were preferring online platforms.
He said the use of online platforms to purchase sacrificial animals could also be another reason for small crowds at the cattle markets, adding that online companies offer a goat of 14 kg at Rs 55,000 and 14 kg of share in cows or buffaloes at Rs 30,000 to 35,000.
Abu Bakr, a calf seller from Zahir Pir, said, the increase in transportation charges, cost of animal breeding and bribes collected by the police and officials of various departments led to the increase in animal prices. Naveed Sheikh, a vendor, said, this time prices were higher than last year because of high rates of feed, vaccination, and transportation.
According to a market survey, vendors are leaving a narrow negotiating margin for the buyers. They are acting as a cartel by keeping the prices of low-weight goats at Rs 100,000 to Rs 170,000.
For a pair of goats, they demand Rs 300,000 to Rs 380,000. The animal sellers are charging higher prices for goats, keeping in view the rising red meat prices in the current year. A seller said they inject medicine to protect their animals from malaria and fever, since the disease kills more of their animals than the Congo virus.
Meanwhile, the authorities concerned of the district government and cantonments have been directed to ensure that there would be no illegal sale/ purchase of sacrificial animals in other parts of the city and cantonment areas except the approved sites, which were auctioned for temporary municipal cattle markets.
The authorities have also been directed to ensure effective monitoring for charging the prescribed entry fee for all kinds of sacrificial animals so that the people can buy the sacrificial animals of their choice without any hassle at the temporary municipal cattle markets. The Rawalpindi District Administration has designated eight points across the district for setting up cattle markets. As per the directives of Commissioner Rawalpindi Engineer Amir Khattak, the sale of animals at unauthorized places had been banned. Three cattle markets are established in Rawalpindi Tehsil, including near Bhatta Chowk, Kohinoor Mill in Rawalpindi Cantt, Mouza Ranial near Fatima Jinnah University Campus on Chakri Road, and Mankiala Bridge on Kallar Syedan Road. The Livestock Department Rawalpindi has also set up special veterinary camps across the city to ensure the health and safety of sacrificial animals. Dr Sadia Ali, an official from the department, shared that a large number of animals had arrived at Bhatta Chowk Mandi, which is now the biggest animal market in Rawalpindi.
Teams from the Livestock Department are available at these camps 24 hours a day and offer free medical treatment for sick animals. City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi have devised a special plan to maintain traffic flow near cattle markets set up for Eid-ul-Azha.
According to the CTP spokesman, over 74 traffic personnel, including circle officers, sector in-charges, wardens and traffic assistants, have been deployed across the city and surrounding areas.
The traffic plan chalked out various locations where cattle markets have been established. These include Bhatta Chowk Rawalpindi, Mauza Ranyal on Chakri Road, Galiana Road in Gujjar Khan, Tangi Road in Kahuta, Mangal Bypass in Kallar Syedan, HIT Athar Bazaar in Taxila, and near Sharif Hospital Stop on GT Road, Wah Cantt.
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