Eid-ul-Azha: over 1.1m animals sold across Punjab
Moreover, during an uninterrupted 72-hour sanitation operation, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) collected and safely disposed of 88,927 tons of animal waste in the Lahore Division.
According to the Punjab Local Government Department on Monday, the figure relating to the sales of sacrificial animals involved all nine administrative divisions of the province, which highlights the thriving Eid animal trade.
Lahore topped the list of divisions with the highest sales, recording the sale of 665,000 animals, which included 443,000 small animals (goats and sheep) and 222,000 large animals (cows and bulls).
In Faisalabad, 112,000 animals were brought to market and 88,000 were sold. The Bahawalpur Division also displayed significant activity, with over 100,000 animals sold; in contrast, DG Khan had more modest sales figures, with 38,000 small animals and just 30,000 large animals sold.
Moreover, Rawalpindi saw 84,000 animals brought into the markets, with 46,000 sold while Sahiwal recorded 47,000 animal sales and Sargodha impressively posted 94,000 animals sold. In Gujranwala, around 10,000 animals were bought and sold, and Multan experienced trade involving 16,000 animals.
The Local Government Department noted that the livestock markets across the province remained largely organised, with improved facilities and management contributing to the smooth conduct of buying and selling activities.
Meanwhile, Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq remained active during the Eid holidays to monitor the Eid Grand Operation launched on Eid-ul-Azha. On the first day, he reviewed the areas of Lahore, Kasur, Pattoki and Okara districts, while on the second day, the provincial minister went to Faisalabad, Gojra and Toba Tek Singh.
In Lahore, Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq, Special Assistant Zeeshan Malik, Commissioner Lahore Zaid Bin Maqsood and Focal Person Suthra Punjab Asim Mehmood jointly visited the Safe City Authority and reviewed the monitoring of waste disposal with the help of Safe City cameras.
Later, the Local Minister went to Laxmi Chowk and Mall Road awareness camps and checked the record of waste bags there. He also inspected the ongoing operation at the Baba Ground Dumping Site while visiting the suburbs of Shahi Qila and took feedback from the citizens.
While talking to the media, the Minister said that the workers cleaning the roads and streets in the scorching heat are our heroes; ideal arrangements have been made for cleaning in the entire Punjab, including Lahore. 'About 130,000 staff were engaged in cleaning and they have broken their previous year's record of cleaning. There is a team in every city and every village and we will ensure that the set targets are achieved,' he added.
On the second day of Eid, he visited Faisalabad city; on this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Faisalabad Nadeem Nasir and CEO of FWMC Rauf Ahmed gave a briefing. Rafiq reviewed the ongoing Grand Eid operation in different areas of Faisalabad and visited the control room and awareness camp at Chowk Ghanta Ghar. He expressed satisfaction with the overall cleanliness arrangements in Faisalabad.
Meanwhile, the LWMC said that this Eid-ul-Adha, the Lahore Division witnessed exemplary cleanliness arrangements, breaking all previous records in waste management across the Division. It not only achieved unprecedented success in Lahore city but also set new benchmarks in Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Nankana Sahib. The comprehensive and uninterrupted 72-hour sanitation operation resulted in the environmentally safe disposal of 88,927 tons of animal waste, it added.
Breaking down the figures, the LWMC successfully removed 54,888 tons of waste from Lahore, 15,543 tons from Sheikhupura, 12,066 tons from Kasur, and 6,430 tons from Nankana Sahib. 'These efforts surpassed all previous benchmarks, reflecting an exceptional level of preparedness and coordination. Throughout the three days of Eid, the Lahore Division addressed and resolved 20,268 complaints promptly,' the LWMC said.
It averred that to prevent illegal dumping of waste into streams, drains, and canals Safe City and drone cameras monitored the situation continuously. The enforcement wing took actions that included the registration of 20 FIRs, seizure of three vehicles, and fines exceeding Rs 300,000. Moreover, for eco-friendly waste disposal, 2.4 million biodegradable bags were distributed throughout the Lahore Division.
Moreover, the clean-up infrastructure included 651 service delivery camps, 254 temporary collection points, and 34 dumping sites. More than 24,000 sanitary heroes worked in three shifts using over 5000 pieces of machinery to ensure the success of the Suthra Punjab programme during Eid.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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