KARACHI, Feb 22: The purchase of sacrificial animals recorded a slump on Friday as rain battered the city and its adjoining areas.

According to people who went to the cattle market, established along the Super Highway about six kilometres from here, to purchase sacrificial animals, the market was in a silence this morning due to the rain. A large number of cattle owners had vanished from the place, which was bustling till yesterday. However, a few hours after the rain, the city returned to normalcy and despite pools of water in many places, which emerged due to poor sanitation, preparation for Eidul Azha was in full swing again. People were seen purchasing knives and other articles required for sacrificing the animals. The purchase of clothes and other material was on a lower side as people generally prefer to buy sacrificial animals on this Eid. There was a great rush of people at grocery stores and prices of onions, garlic, ginger, cardamom and other green vegetables registered a steep rise. The price of cucumber soared to Rs28 to 30 per kilogram while it was available for Rs10 only a week back. Police have also made all arrangements to implement a decision of the government disallowing establishment of camps and collection centres by political and religious parties for skins and hides of sacrificial animals. All arrangements have also been completed for offering Eid prayers and the biggest congregation would be held at Bagh-i-Jinnah (old Polo Ground)—APP