Eid cattle market opens in Rawalpindi
With Eidul Azha falling in the first week of June, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has awarded the contract for the largest livestock market, valued at Rs165.7 million.
The market for sacrificial animals set up at Bhatta Ground has started receiving sacrificial animals from across the country to facilitate the residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
However, the contractor is still liable to pay 50% of the remaining dues under the contract and is also obligated to pay Rs16.5m in income tax.
In light of previous instances where contractors fled without clearing dues and taxes, the Board has taken a more vigilant approach this year. Monitoring of the cattle market has been significantly tightened.
The contract to set up the livestock market at Bhatta Ground was awarded to Moin & Co for Rs165.7m. Fifty percent of the contract amount has already been received, while recovery of the remaining 50% is still pending.
Sources in the RCB indicate that the final approval letter for the contract has not yet been issued. Once issued, the contractor will be required to pay the remaining dues to the board and the Rs16.5m in income tax to the government within seven days.
Meanwhile, livestock from across the country has started arriving at Bhatta Ground, and the pace is expected to pick up from June 1. Traders from all over Pakistan will bring cows, bulls, calves, camels, goats, and sheep to the market. However, this year, prices of sacrificial animals are expected to be higher than last year, making it more difficult for buyers to find animals within their budget.
To ensure the success of the official cattle market, the Board has imposed a ban on the sale of sacrificial animals on roads, open plots, private enclosures, and walled areas throughout the cantonment. Selling animals outside the Bhatta Ground market will not be allowed, and enforcement teams have been formed to take action against violators.
On the other hand, collecting the remaining 50% of the contract dues and the Rs16.5m income tax from the contractor has become a major challenge for the RCB.
According to sources, monitoring teams from the board will oversee the livestock market operations and ensure timely recovery of all outstanding payments and taxes.
Meanwhile, the twin cities are abuzz with activity as vendors and buyers alike prepare for the festive occasion. The markets, set up in various locations, offer goats, cows and other livestock for sacrifice. Buyers can be seen haggling over prices, inspecting the health and quality of the animals and negotiating with vendors.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Seasonal butchers on streets with knives, cleavers
Citizens across the city are finding it difficult to get professional butchers to perform the Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). Professional butchers have increased their rates by 30 to 50 per cent this year. Babu Qureshi, a professional butcher from Liaquatabad, explained that the rates for slaughtering animals vary depending on the area and the weight or size of the animal. He noted that professional butchers typically stop taking bookings three days before Eidul Azha. This year, the minimum charge for slaughtering a large, lighter-weight animal on the first day of Eid ranges from Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 and above. On the second day, the rate drops to around Rs18,000, and on the third day, it decreases further to approximately Rs15,000. Rates for heavier animals with excess weight are negotiated before the slaughtering. Professional butchers have taken bookings for multiple animals at the neighbourhood level instead of single animals. Last year, professional butchers charged Rs15,000 to Rs25,000 or more for slaughtering a large animal. This year, the rates for goats and sheep range from Rs8,000 to Rs15,000. On the second and third days, the rates for small animals decrease by 30 to 50 per cent. Qureshi added that professional butchers have prioritised bookings in upscale neighbourhoods where compensation is generally higher. In contrast, many middle- and lower-income areas are turning to seasonal butchers due to the limited availability of skilled professionals. Seasonal butchers-who work on a daily wage basis and take up butchery only during Eid-have stepped in to fill the gap. They offer their services at 30 to 50 per cent lower rates than the professional butchers. These seasonal butchers often work in groups and are more in demand in middle-class areas, where they get better wages. Rush for sharpening People are seen purchasing new tools and getting the old ones sharpened for the preparation of meat after the slaughter. As a result, shops sharpening knives and cleavers are overloaded with huge footfall of citizens. At Al-Karam Square, Mohsin Ali, the owner of a shop that sells and sharpens such tools, said that a wide variety of knives, cleavers (Bugdah) and skewers are in great demand. The prices of new tools for household use have increased by Rs100 to Rs400. Different types of knives are sold for Rs400 to Rs2,500 or more, while the price of a Bugdah ranges from Rs800 to Rs3,000. Most people opt to sharpen their old tools, with sharpening services costing Rs150 to Rs200 per tool. Some individuals purchase tools worth up to Rs3,000 for preparing sacrificial meat. Slaughtering accessories fly off shelves Exponential quantities of date palm mats and baskets were sold for Eidul Azha sacrifice purposes, with vendors reporting brisk sales in the days leading up to the festival. Amir Uddin, a vendor selling mats, baskets, and wooden chopping blocks at Gharibabad, explained that date palm mats are typically used to spread sacrificial meat, while baskets are used for distributing it. This year, on Eid, mats of different sizes were sold for Rs500 to Rs1,000, and baskets were sold for Rs200 to Rs400. Meanwhile, chopping blocks were sold at Rs100 per kilogram, with the smallest ones selling for Rs500 to Rs800. These items are made of wood and are essential for meat distribution and storage. People who perform the Sunnah of sacrifice purchase these items to facilitate the distribution of meat among family, friends, and the needy. Temporary stalls were set up across various city areas to sell these products, providing temporary employment and additional income for many people, including street vendors and artisans who craft these traditional items.
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Nurses under probe for seeking Eid bonus
Following the decision to grant an additional basic salary to Capital Development Authority employees from Grade 1 to 16 on the occasion of Eidul Azha, the CDA Chairman has also approved a similar honorarium of one basic salary for all Muslim officers in Grade 17 and above. The decision will apply to contract and daily-wage employees as well, and an official notification has been issued in this regard. Furthermore, CDA Board members, who are on deputation appointments, will also be beneficiary of additional basic salary. Sources reveal that the additional salary payments for all CDA employees and officers on Eidul Azha will cost the authority approximately Rs365.5 million, with Rs235m allocated for employees in Grade 1-16 and Rs30m for officers in Grade 17 and above. It is reported that CDA has become especially lucrative for officers deputed from various departments, particularly board members. More notably, officers deputed to CDA are also allotted plots in Islamabad's D-Block sector after six months of service, despite CDA employees only being eligible for a plot after completing at least 10 years of service. Sources highlight that different eligibility standards exist for permanent CDA employees and those on deputation. This disparity makes CDA postings highly desirable among senior officers from other departments. A senior officer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) shared an interesting office order, revealing that more than six nurses from Capital Hospital, serving in BS-17 to 19, visited the office of the Member Finance at CDA Headquarters two days ago. The nurses requested that, like employees from BS-1 to 15, they also be granted an additional basic salary as an Eid honorarium. However, instead of their request being considered, the nurses were accused of violating departmental discipline, and a formal departmental inquiry was ordered against them. This action was taken despite the fact that, prior to the issuance of the inquiry order, the CDA had already officially approved the honorarium for all officers in Grade 17 and above. Given this approval, even if the disciplinary action had any basis initially, the acceptance of the nurses' request rendered the inquiry unjustifiable and moot. The CDA Chairman could not be reached for his version despite repeated attempts.
Express Tribune
11 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Eidul Azha sees artificial price hike in Karachi as tomatoes, essentials soar
Market analysts caution that IMF-related measures in the upcoming FY2026 budget—particularly new taxes and adjustments in energy prices—may lead to a renewed spike in inflation. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article The customary artificial surge in prices of vegetables and condiments ahead of Eidul Azha continues unabated this year, with rates of essential kitchen items increasing by up to 200 per cent in Karachi markets, Express News reported. According to a report, the price of tomatoes has jumped from Rs60 per kilogram to as high as Rs160 per kilogram, marking an increase of over 160 per cent within a week. The cost of garlic, which was retailing at Rs500 per kg, has surged to Rs700 per kg, while ginger now sells at Rs800 per kg, up from Rs600. Fresh coriander, typically priced at Rs20 per bunch, is now being sold at Rs40, and green chillies have risen from Rs380 to Rs450 per kg. In Karachi, the price of lemons has surged from Rs250 to between Rs350 and Rs400 per kilogram. Raw papaya, commonly used to tenderise meat during Eid preparations, is now retailing for up to Rs200 per kilogram. Despite repeated complaints, there appears to be little regulatory oversight to curb these arbitrary price hikes as citizens have called on the city administration to intervene and enforce official price lists, warning that such unchecked inflation burdens lower-income households during the festive period.
