Eid Al Adha 2023: Pakistan announces three-day holiday
Bustling cattle markets have been set up across the country
Islamabad: Pakistan government has announced a three-day public holiday from June 29 for Eid Al Adha, the second major religious festival of Islam.
The government notification stated that offices with a five-day working week will be closed on June 29 and 30 (Thursday and Friday) while offices observing a six-day working week will be closed on July 1 (Saturday) as well.
The Eid holidays were announced after the country’s moon sighting body announced that Eid Al Adha would be observed in the country on June 29.
On Sunday, the crescent moon for Dhu Al Hijjah was sighted in Saudi Arabia where the first day of Eid Al Adha will be celebrated on June 28.
Eid Al Adha significance
Eid Al Adha, also called the ‘Festival of Sacrifice (Qurbani)’, is observed on the tenth day of the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu Al Hijjah.
The first 10 days of this month are considered particularly sacred. This is also the month of Hajj — the largest annual religious gathering of Muslims in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The Hajj begins on the 8th of Dhu Al Hijjah.
Muslims celebrate this festival to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ebrahim (Abraham in Christianity and Judaism) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience and devotion to Allah.
According to the religious narrative, God intervened at the last moment and provided a ram to be sacrificed instead of Ebrahim’s son.
During this festival, Muslims who can afford it sacrifice domestic animals in remembrance of Prophet Ebraham’s sacrifice. The days of animal sacrifice are from the 10 to 12 of Dhu Al Hijjah.
Cattle markets
As the Eid Al Adha festival approaches, bustling cattle markets known as Bakra Mandi (goat markets) have been set up across Pakistan. This annual spectacle attracts a large number of buyers who can be seen negotiating prices and inspecting the finest goats, cows, sheep, and camels, adorned with colorful accessories.
The famous Sohrab Goth cattle market of Karachi city, which has been relocated to the Northern Bypass area, has already gathered over 500,000 animals from all across the country.
The cattle market owners predict that the mandi will accommodate more than 600,000 animals and will generate around Rs480 billion in revenue for the vendors.
However, the rising prices and record-high inflation has made it challenging for many Pakistanis to afford sacrificial animals. There is a growing trend among citizens to participate in collective sacrifices facilitated by welfare institutions and Madrassas. Meanwhile, several online platforms are also offering convenient ways to buy and sacrifice animals, even catering to overseas Pakistanis.