PESHAWAR: The roadside animal sale continued here on Wednesday belying the administration’s claim to crack down on illegal cattle sale points.

The administration imposed Section 144 banning the sale of animals without its permission but the ban was blatantly defied by vendors on Ring Road, Dalazak Road, Bara Road, Warsak Road, Kohat Road and Charsadda Road.

The vendors also turned most streets and railways tracks into the small animal markets causing problems for road users and residents.

Some were seen roam around in bazaars with animals to find buyers.

The people alleged that influential people had connived with the TMA officials to collect illegal tax from such vendors and those parking motorcycles and vehicles by the roadside.

“You have to pay Rs50 fee or remove your motorcycle from here,” a stick-wielding boy asked an elderly man on Ring Road.

He said the parking fee for motorcycle was Rs30 few days ago but it was increased due to the influx of animal buyers to the market.

The unrestricted movement of animals in the busy commercial areas stressed out road users and adversely affected trade. The traders said they couldn’t restrict the entry of animal vendors to the markets.

The stick-wielding people collecting parking fee said they didn’t know about the legality of parking spaces and that they only facilitated visitors to animal markets.

Spokesman of the district administration Sajid Khan told Dawn that a team of officials headed by additional deputy commissioner Shahid Ali Khan had been tasked with checking the establishment of illegal cattle markets and illegal tax collection from animal vendors and motorists and motorcyclists.

“During the last two days, the administration has arrested at least 60 people for violating Section 144. It is the duty of the officials of relevant town municipal administration to check the collection of illegal taxes,” he said.

The people complained of higher animal prices and regretted that the rates surged.

“We have been searching for bull for two days but in vain due to the higher rates caused by animal shortage on the market,” said Asad Khan on the Ring Road market.

Another visitor, Salman Shah, however, said the animal rates were comparatively low in villages like Taro Jabba, Charsadda, Palosai and Sarband.

He said buffalo rates were reasonable compared with the last year but buyers were interested in cows and oxen. Trader Nazeer of Adezai area said the prices of sheep, rams and goats had gone up due to the restrictions on the export of sacrificial animals from Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2018