PESHAWAR: The sale of sacrificial animals reached its peak on Wednesday as most of the people in the provincial metropolis are going to celebrate Eidul Azha today (Thursday).

Despite ban on establishing illegal cattle markets the traders have turned every public place in the city into a mini cattle market, allegedly in collaboration with the local influential people. The administration also failed to check illegal parking lots near the cattle markets where there was no proper enclosure, but the stick-wielding boys were seen charging Rs20 for parking a motorbike and Rs50 for a car.

On Wednesday, it was observed that all kinds of animals, including camels, goats, rams, buffalos, cows and bulls, were available to the customers. Some of the people were seen walking with sacrificial animals in the streets to lure the buyers without realising that scattered cattle markets can create environmental issues.

Different items used for slaughtering animals and making barbecue, including skews, knives, axes, coal and fodder, were also put for sale everywhere in the district. The butchers have also displayed banners offering their services for slaughtering sacrificial animals on what they mentioned ‘reasonable payment’.

Though prices of sacrificial animals are still very high, the traders are ready to negotiate in order to sell them out before the morning of Eidul Azha. A number of customers at the Ring Road cattle market said that buffalos’ rates were reasonable, but that of other animals were high.

Sale of sacrificial animals reaches its peak

The prices at Sarband cattle market at Bara Road were somewhat low compared to those located near the main population of Peshawar. There was a visible difference in the prices of animals at the Ring Road and Sarband markets.

Majority of people were seen buying big animals on the basis of shares. A separate market was set up for the goats, sheep, rams, etc where an average price of an animal was up to Rs15,000.

“We have come from Punjab and wish to celebrate Eid with our family members, but it seems difficult unless all of our 10 bulls are sold out,” said one Ubaid of Multan, adding that his group had already sold out over 20 animals during the past one week.

Majority of the traders, he said, preferred to sell out the animals for whatever reasonable benefit they could get at least to meet their expenditures.

However, there was no arrangement of veterinary doctors at the cattle markets. The traders who owned herds of animals had kept medicines with them for any emergency.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2015

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