Cattle traders under the knife

“These are my cattle. Who are you to charge me on them? I am not going to pay you a penny more than the government charges,” resisted Malik Munir and Pervez when Haji Ismail, the contractor at the Shahpur Kanjaran cattle market, asked them to pay an ‘exuberant’ price for entering the cattle market. On the men’s refusal, Ismail attacked them with daggers and deprived them of their cattle.

Extortionists in guise of contractors at the Shahpur Kanjran cattle market believe that every living being has to pay a price for surviving in the market.

The government has imposed a tax of Rs 135 for every cattle-filled van that enters the cattle market. The contract in this regard has been given to Haji Ismail who is responsible for tax collection.

Ismail runs the show at the cattle market with his goons and illegally charges everyone who earns a living at the cattle market. Butchers, cattle traders and even tea stall owners are required to pay money to Ismail if they want to keep their business running in the market and more importantly, stay safe.

Malik Munir and Pervez, who were on their way inside the market on Wednesday with some cattle, had to face the music for standing up against Ismail. They were badly beaten up and during the scuffle, were deprived of their goats and cows they had brought for selling in the cattle market.

According to witnesses, the policemen present on the occasion refused to rescue Pervez and Munir, saying they did not have the required orders.

The cattle traders and butchers under the leadership of the Butchers Welfare Association protested against Ismail’s hooliganism later that day. The protesters blocked the Multan Road in front of the cattle market and chanted slogans against the police for not taking action against the contractor and his police patrons.

According to Butchers Welfare Society President Malik Iftikhar, Ismail had connections with the police and continued to extort money from the cattle traders unhindered. He said that Ismail charged Rs 300 per goat and Rs 500 per cow for entry in the cattle market. The tea stall owner is required to pay Rs 10,000 per month for ensuring a place in the market, while every cattle-filled van has to pay Rs 5,000 for a smooth entry in the market, he said.

“Haji Ismail does not even spare the empty vans that exit the market. They have to pay Rs 1,000 upon their exit. He is an influential man and has links with the police,” Iftikhar told Pakistan Today.

The Butchers Welfare Society president said that it was a routine matter for them to see butchers and traders getting roughed up by Ismail’s men for not paying the extortion money. “We have no choice but to stay in the market. There is no other place for us to sell cattle without Ismail’s interference.”

Butchers Welfare Society Secretary Malik Bobby told Pakistan Today that there were more than 60 cases registered against Ismail with various police stations but Ismail continued his activities unabated. Ismail does not even refrain from looting the poor butchers; they are required to pay half their wages in order to continue to work in the vicinity, he said.

“Ismail does not take no for an answer. Running away from him means running away from your livelihood, while standing up against him means you don’t love your life. The only way out is to stay put, pay the money and keep trying to make the ends meet. The arms of the law may be long but Ismail knows well how to shorten them. Some coppers a day certainly keep the cops away,” said Bobby.

Akbar, a butcher who has been in the business for the past 27 years, told Pakistan Today that Ismail operated with a man named Jahangir who ran a shop at the Shahpur Kanjaran cattle market by the name of Allah Waali Farm. He said that Jahangir had a gang of almost 14 men including Tuti, Kashif, Imran, Faqir Husain, Abbas, Billu and Moma among others.

“Extortion is their family business. They fearlessly threaten every man in the cattle market. And why should they fear the police? They make sure the policemen get their share,” he said.

Akbar said that Ismail and Jahangir operated in the previous cattle market as well, when it was not shifted to Shahpur Kanjaran. He revealed to Pakistan Today that Lala Qaiser Laal ran another group alongside Ismail and Jahangir and together they extorted the cattle traders.

Allah Rakha, a cattle trader, said the cattle market was supplied with expensive yet adulterated fodder. He said he had incurred losses owing to adulterated fodder that claimed the lives of many cows.

“Whenever a cow or a goat gets sick of eating poisonous fodder, it is immediately taken to the slaughter house. This way much of adulterated meat is supplied in the city markets. Dead cows and goats, the city eats it all,” he said.

When Pakistan Today contacted Chung Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) Kamran Zaman and enquired about the matter, he said that he had resolved the dispute between the cattle traders and the contractors. He denied the involvement of police officials in extorting money from the cattle traders.

However, Zaman said that to address the problem of extortion, they had arranged for TMO officials who will keep an eye on the contractors.