With the advent of Eid ul Azha, unauthorised sacrificial animals markets have started surfacing up in all the areas of Rawalpindi city and cantonment. These markets can be seen mushrooming in the localities of Khiaban-e- Sir Syed, Banni, Sadiq Abad, Faizabad, Pirwadhai, Dhok Husoo and Carriage Factory Road in the jurisdiction of Rawal Town Tehsil Muncipal Administration. Goats in large number have been brought while the presence of cattle including cows and buffaloes is next to nil therein in these markets.
The citizens are evincing interest in purchasing the sacrificial animals but the skyrocketing prices have forced them to stay away from goat markets. On the other side the trend of collective sacrifice is growing as per share contribution has been fixed at the rate ranging between Rs 8500 to Rs 9500.
Such illegal markets have been set up in Chungi No 22, Adiala road, Chakri road, Scheme No 3 and high court in the jurisdiction of Chaklala Cantonment board.
In these markets the number of sacrificial animals is far greater than the markets operating in the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi city. The price of a goat is ranging between Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 and price of ox between Rs 40,000 and Rs 100,000. Rawal Town Finance Town Officer Raja Iftikhar said if any animal market has been set up in the jurisdiction of Rawal town, it is illegal as ban is in place in setting up any cattle market in the urban areas of Rawalpindi since the last four years. The illegal animal markets have polluted the environment of the city causing respiratory diseases. The citizens have demanded immediate crack down against the unauthorised animal markets.
