Security threat in cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

—Transporters may become potential facilitators in terrorist activity

LAHORE: A severe security threat looms in Lahore ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, as tens of thousands of sacrificial animals are being brought in the city from all parts of the province in trucks and loaders; there is a high risk of explosive materials being potentially transported into Lahore through these vehicles, owing to a lack of mechanism for surveillance from law enforcement agencies to properly check these transporters, it has been observed.

These mobile trucks and loaders may become a potential source of terrorists to carry-out their nefarious designs, as a completely similar terror activity just happened in Lahore during this month, when a fruit-laden truck carrying explosive material blew up, injuring 48 people and killing 2. The said truck was parked at a parking stand near the Outfall Road, in the suburbs of Lahore, and it remained unnoticed for three days according to the locals of the area. After the blast, the forensic experts said that the truck was carrying 100 kg of explosive material and was so powerful that the blast was heard in the radius of four to five kilometres.

Keeping in view the episode of Outfall Road blast and the ongoing Operation Rad-ul-Fasad in the country, these trucks and loaders carrying the sacrificial animals raise several alarm bells. It is worth mentioning here that Lahore has faced many terrorist activities this year, including Arfa Karim IT Tower blast that killed 26 people and the Charing Cross blast in which 13 people lost their lives including Lahore’s Chief Traffic Officer Captain (retd) Ahmed Mobin.

According to an estimate, more than 0.3 million sacrificial animals are slaughtered every year in Lahore during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha and the City District Government of Lahore has established seven make-shift cattle markets in the metropolitan this year. The seven sale points for cattle markets in Lahore are Bakar Mandi Shahpur Kanjran Multan Road (Allama Iqbal Town), Ring Road Lakhodair Sabzi Mandi (Wahga Town), Punjab Govt Employees Cooperative Housing Society Phase-2 Block E and Wapda Town Extension A-2 Block College Road Township (Nishtar Town), Oversees Pakistani Foundation Housing Society Phase 2 Raiwind Road (Nishtar Town), DHA Phase 9 opposite Nishat Mall (Gulberg Town), Usman Ghani Road Mian Saggian Road (Data Ganj Bukhsh Town) and Usman Ghani Road Mian Saggian Road (Ravi Town).

Muhammad Sajjad, an animal dealer at Saggian Road cattle market, who came from Multan, told Pakistan Today, that he has travelled over 400 kilometres to reach Lahore, but his truck and animals were not checked at a single point throughout his journey. “We are 8 people who brought some 300 sacrificial animals in Lahore and we are coming here for the last 6 to 7 years.” He said that he had paid bribes throughout the journey but was never once questioned to ensure security.

Feyaz Hussain, another animal dealer at Shahpur Kanjran cattle market, who was travelling from Rahim Yar Khan which is at a distance of 600 kilometres from Lahore, also said that he was never inspected to ensure the contents of his truck.

Most of these truck drivers hail from areas such as Swat, Mingora, KPK, DG Khan and other tribal areas that are notorious for terrorist activities; these drivers transport animals to the cattle markets of Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sheikhupura and other areas of Punjab. Meanwhile, Lahore CCPO Captain (retd) Amin Wains has instructed to keep the security high alert until the end of Eid-ul-Azha and has ordered to increase patrolling in the surroundings of all the cattle markets. “Foolproof security will be provided to the visitors of these cattle markets, while additional police force has also been deputed at the make-shift cattle markets,” he said.