- Breeders, sellers of sacrificial animals are complaining of scarcity of serious customers for the animals
While there are thousands of animals available in the cattle to be sold for the sacrifice on the Eidul Azha, which is less than 20 days away, the breeders and sellers are having a hard time in finding serious customers for their sacrificial animals, Pakistan Today has learnt in a survey of the cattle market established near Saggian Bridge at the outskirts of city.
Ghulam Muhammad Baloch, who has come all the way from District Rajanpur to sell his 45 goats, told Pakistan Today that the customers in the market are very less but he was hopeful that he will be successful in selling all the animals that range from Rs 100,000 to 300,000.
Baloch had paid a fare of Rs 32,000 for the transportation of his animals. “Lahore is a city where customers can afford and pay good amount for the animals thus compensating the transportation expense incurred,” he said.
He further said that the animals sometimes fell ill due to sudden change of area but he had medicines with him that he has brought from Rajanpur to cure them.
Another seller from District Nankana Sahab named as Malik Khizar Hayat told this scribe that he has not paid a single penny to establish his camp in the market as government has provided this facility free of cost. He said that this year the cattle market has been shifted far away from the main road to avoid the traffic problems.
Asad Zaheer Rehmani, a seller from District Bahawalnagar, was of the view that the dwellers of his village and surrounding areas are unable to pay the right amount of his animals due to the poor financial conditions.
“This is the reason I have travelled all the way to Lahore along with my animals to get fair price for the animal,” he said, adding that he brought fodder for the animals with him as he feared that the local fodder could damage the digestive system of his animals.
He was in full praise for the government’s arrangements.
Alyaas Butt, a government servant who came to the market with his children, told Pakistan Today that his children forced him to visit the market.
“There are still more than three weeks left in Eid, therefore we cannot afford to take care of the animals for such a long time,” he said, adding, “I’ll buy my animal just one or two day before the Eid day.”
Mian Parvez, field inspector of Ravi town area who has been deputed in the cattle market, told Pakistan Today that the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has made all arrangements prior to the arrival of animals and their owners to facilitate them. He was of the view that not a single penny is being charged for the establishment of a camp and special arrangements have been made by the livestock department for the emergency treatment of ill animals, he added.
