Islamabad: A day ahead of Eid Al Adha, prices of sacrificial animals soared forcing many aspirant buyers to return home empty handed.
Trading activity of sacrificial animals in makeshift cattle markets has gained momentum not only in Islamabad but also in Lahore, Karachi and other big and small cities of the country.
However, people have complained about the high prices of sacrificial animals - goats, sheep, ram and heifer.
In Lahore’s makeshift cattle markets prices of goats range between PKR 40,000 (Dh913) to Rs65,000 (Dh 1,484) per animal, while sheep are being traded between Rs30,000 (Dh 685) and Rs50,000 (Dh 1,141) per animal.
Prices of big animals, including heifer and ram, range between Rs150,000 (Dh 3,425) to Rs350,000 (Dh 7,992) depending on the weight and appearance of the animal.
Khalid Munir, a resident of Model Town, Lahore, while talking to Gulf News on Tuesday, said prices of sacrificial animals have been hiked almost 100% ahead of Eid Al Adha.
“Cattle traders are demanding exorbitantly high prices for sacrificial animals that has made it difficult, if not impossible, for common citizens to sacrifice,” he said.
From Karachi too, people are complaining against 100 per cent increase in the price of sacrificial animals.
Muhammad Iqbal, a resident of Lyari said each year similar complaints are made but the provincial government fails to address the problem.
“The government should introduce some price regulatory mechanism to curb unfair pricing of sacrificial animals. It will ease the burden on low and middle-income citizens,” he said.
In Islamabad, the district government has set up three market points for sale of sacrificial animals at Bhara Kahu, Tramri and Sangjani.
The district administration and police in an operation on Tuesday removed the makeshift cattle sale points along the road in different parts of Islamabad.
One such operation was led by Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat who asked the cattle traders to shift their animals to proper cattle markets set up for the purpose.
“It is illegal as well as unhygienic to buy and sell animals at the roadside,” said Hamza Shafqaat in a tweet requesting the residents of Islamabad not to buy sacrificial animals from the roadside vendors.
