The sale and purchase of sacrificial animals is in full swing in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad ahead of Eidul Azha.
The owners of the sacrificial animal have decorated their animals with colourful ornaments to attract the people.
A buyer Ali Majeed who was purchasing an animal said, “My children insisted me to buy animal soon because they will enjoy and spent time with the sacrificial animal.”
Saler Kaleem Anaam said while selling an animal, “I have sold seven animals out of 20.”
This time prices are higher than last year because of high rates of feed, vaccination and transportation.
According to a random market survey, vendors are leaving a narrow bargaining margin for buyers. They are acting as a cartel by keeping the price of low weight goats at Rs 18,000 to Rs 22,000. For a pair of goats they demand Rs 35,000 to Rs 45,000.
The animal sellers are charging higher prices for goats keeping in view the rising red meat prices in the current year.
A seller said they inject medicine to protect their animals from malaria and fever since the disease kills more of their animals than the Congo virus.
Meanwhile, Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), Enforcement and Environment Wing of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been directed to ensure that there will be no illegal sale/purchase of sacrificial animals in other parts of the city except the approved site, which has been auctioned for temporary municipal cattle market.
The DMA has been directed to ensure effective monitoring for charging the prescribed entry fee for all kinds of sacrificial animals so that the people could buy the sacrificial animals of their choice without any hassle at the temporary municipal cattle market.