LAHORE, Jan 16: Nazims of two union councils, besides a partner of Bakar Mandi tax contractor, have been held responsible for subjecting buyers and sellers of animals to extortion before Eidul Azha, according to a report submitted to the City District Government of Lahore.

“Habibullah Bhatti and Mian Waheed, the nazims of UC 86 and 87, respectively, and one Haji Ismael were behind the whole episode. The men of the nazims extorted money both from buyers and sellers on Bund and Multan roads while those of Haji Ismael were operative inside and outside the Bakar Mandi,” sources quoted the report as stating.

However, the report was mute on as to why the administrations of Samanabad and Allama Iqbal towns could not take any timely action against the extortionists, the sources told this reporter on Tuesday.

The extortion came to limelight two days before Eidul Azha, and the CDGL high-ups had on Dec 30 sent special squads to nab the `culprits’ who disappeared from the scene as `somebody had informed them about the development.’

However, the `culprits’ surfaced again both at the cattle market on Bund Road and adjoining areas after a break of four hours or so by changing their modus operandi, while the administrations of Samanabad and Allama Iqbal town continued blaming each other for the illegal practice.

The CDGL high-ups also directed the town municipal officers of the two local bodies to show cause for showing laxity in this regard. A senior officer of the local government department was also deputed to hold an inquiry into the matter and submit a report.

“The officer has submitted the report to the CDGL high-ups, skilfully exonerating the TMOs concerned of the charge of showing laxity,” the sources alleged.

According to the report, the men of Haji Ismael, a partner of Bakar Mandi tax contractor Chaudhry Anwar, had been extorting money from both sellers and buyers visiting the cattle market on Bund Road since long.

It says after two meatless days, sellers start bringing their cattle on Wednesday afternoon every week in trucks to the market that can only be approached from the Bund Road side. The road to the market from Sabzazaar has been closed down for heavy traffic on the insistence of the residents of the housing colony who have been demanding shifting of the slaughterhouse, adjacent to Bakar Mandi, to some other place.

All the trucks were being intercepted at the two pickets set up by the men of Haji Ismael on the only road leading to the market. The sellers who regularly visit the place hand over the registration documents of their vehicles with Rs20 in case they carry goats or sheep and Rs50 in case of buffaloes or cows at each picket. Haji’s men `inspect’ the documents for a minute or so, return the same to the driver, and allow him to move ahead. For a new comer, however, it may take hours to go through the process.

A few yards away, the truck driver has to halt the vehicle on the signal of another group of men. One of them would board the vehicle to inspect the cattle and determine the `passage fee’ that ranges from Rs100 to Rs500, depending on the number, condition and size of the cattle. Refusal to pay the `fee’ often results in thrashing of the sellers and denial of further movement of the vehicle.

The buyers too have to stop at the three posts but the total extortion rate seldom exceeds Rs200, the sources say.

“The market is situated in the jurisdiction of Allama Iqbal Town and the administration had authorised only one contractor to collect fee at a rate of Rs90 per buffalo or cow and Rs20 per goat or sheep. The contractor issues a receipt with the number and kind of cattle mentioned along with the amount received, and we have received no complaint in this regard so far,” sources said while quoting the report.

The Bakar Mandi on the Bund Road is the oldest and biggest cattle market of the city where breeders and farmers from many areas of the Punjab bring their cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep expecting better price, especially before Eidul Azha.