LAHORE, Feb 7: Sacrificial animals have started pouring in the city in large numbers as a result of which unauthorized markets have been set up in many parts of the city with the connivance of the city district government tax collectors and union council Nazimeen eager to make easy money.

The unauthorized markets are in addition to 25 set up by the city government for the sale of animals without payment of any special fee. Only the prescribed fee of Rs20 per animal is to be charged. Those who allowed the sale of animals at unauthorized spots are reported to have extorted Rs100 per animal from the traders.

A Shalimar Town tax collector is reported to have been suspended recently for pocketing over Rs100,000 extorted from the traders of sacrificial animals as fee.

He collected thousands of rupees in fee but entered only hundreds of rupees in record thus misappropriating the money.

Unauthorized markets have come up at Daroghawala Chowk in Shalimar Town; Shadbagh, Data Nagar and Karim Park in Ravi Town, Wahdat Colony in Allama Iqbal Town; Kot Lakhpat vegetable market in Nishtar Town and Dharampura Main Bazaar in Aziz Bhatti Town.