No horse trading at donkey market
One of Pakistan's oldest and largest donkey markets opened its annual fare at Tando Ghulam Ali, drawing huge crowds and colourful animals from across the country.
High-breed donkeys and mules with unique names like Rocket, Missile, Kalashnikov, Modi, Kashmala, Sharmeela, Sheeri, Madhuri, Sheila, Heer Ranjha, and Yahoo became the centre of attention. This unique annual donkey market held on the 11th of Muharram in Badin attracted donkey lovers and buyers from all over Pakistan. The donkeys and mules brought to the market were beautifully decorated and adorned with colourful clothes, garlands, flowers, and other ornaments. To increase interest among visitors, donkey races were also organised. However, despite the large turnout and cultural significance of the event, the local municipal authorities failed to provide basic facilities. The lack of clean drinking water, washrooms, proper sanitation, and waiting areas caused inconvenience to many buyers.
According to elderly residents, this market began even before the creation of Pakistan. In those times, due to the lack of roads and transport, people from far-off villages would attend Muharram processions using donkeys and donkey-carts. Over time, this informal gathering grew into a full-fledged market.
The importance of this market grew even more during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s when donkeys and mules were heavily smuggled to Afghanistan. These animals played a vital role not only in delivering ration supplies but also in transporting weapons through the rugged terrains.
A long-time buyer recalled how these donkeys and mules would cross mountainous paths to deliver supplies to their destinations.
In the modern era of pickups and loader bikes, this donkey market remains a vital part of Badin's cultural heritage.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Country lights up for Jashn-e-Azadi
Cities across the country are adorned in festive and colourful lights as Independence Day approaches. Photo: Express As Pakistan's 78th Independence Day approaches, a wave of green and white is sweeping across the country, exuding patriotic fervour, emotional pride, and historical remembrance. While national flag flutters proudly atop homes, private and official buildings ahead of Independence Day celebrations, the bazaars and streets are alive with green and white colour and joy. More so, the celebrations depict a sense of belonging of being part of a great story that began with struggle and sacrifice during the Pakistan movement that continues with hope and resilience. In remote areas like erstwhile Fata, including Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur, the same spirit persists. "I have purchased 500 green badges and stickers for my family and relatives as part of Jashin-e-Azadi celebrations. It's our way of showing immeasurable love for Pakistan," said Asghar Afridi, a journalist from Bara, Khyber district in Peshawar said. With his young son helping decorate the family car at the bustling Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Afridi's joy was full of national enthusiasm. "This is our family tradition we have followed since creation of Pakistan and now I am passing it on to the next generation with immense pride," reiterates Afridi. From Landi Kotal to Torkham and Jamrud to Shalman valley, all bazaars, markets and streets in Khyber district are adorned with colourful bunting and lights. Irrespective of caste and colours, tribal youth, children, and elders alike can be seen donning green-and-white outfits, echoing a common sentiment such as this is our celebration and our tribute to the great nation and Quaid e Azam that gave us an identity and freedom on August 14, 1947. "Pakistan was not gifted to us rather it was earned through blood and sacrifices," said Shah Jee Gul Afridi, former MNA and a respected elder of the Afridi tribe, while talking to APP. "We are honouring those sacrifices by celebrating Jashn-e-Azadi with full zeal and patriotism." The connection of the tribal people with the creation of Pakistan is not just emotional but historical. In 1948, just months after the country's independence, Founder of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited Peshawar where he addressed a grand tribal jirga at the Governor House here. There, in the heart of K-P, he acknowledged the loyalty and sacrifices of the tribesmen calling them a "frontline force" of the Pakistan Movement. "The great Quaid had deep respect for the tribes' patriotism and their love for Islam and Pakistan," said Prof Dr AH Hilali, former Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar. "He emphasised education and development as keys to their future and today, those words still resonate." Quaid's love for education led him to promise a university for the region, a vision fulfilled with the establishment of the University of Peshawar near the historic Islamia College - another site he visited three times and highly praised its students' role during the Pakistan Movement." The scenes playing out in these tribal regions today reflect a deeper narrative not just of celebration, but for peace and development. "We see lights, we see national flags, but we also see a determination among our youth to build a better and prosperous future for their country," said Afridi. "My son is already asking questions about the Pakistan Movement, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Dr Alama Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam and what independence means. That's where the real celebration begins, creating awareness and education of young minds about Pakistan." In an area long known more for security and economic challenges than festivity, this great transformation speaks volumes of tribesmen's love for their country. Where once silence loomed, now laughter, joy and music echo through narrow alleys and open bazaars. The tribal belt, once on the margins of national attention, is today stepping forward, waving the national flag not just as a symbol of statehood, but as a badge of honour and prestige. As the clock ticks closer to August 14, the message from people of erstwhile FATA is clear that "We are Pakistan, and Pakistan is us."
Express Tribune
03-08-2025
- Express Tribune
Soan River's legacy now a monsoon nightmare
The Soan River rages with swollen waters following heavy monsoon rains. An archival view of a train crossing the Soan River near Rawalpindi. A rare 138-year-old photograph from 1887 captures the historic Soan River bridge. PHOTOS: EXPRESS Once a witness to some of the oldest extinct civilisations, the crystal-clear stream that became today's Soan River has turned into a deadly torrent. Each year during the monsoon, it claims lives and livestock. The river originates as a network of small water trails from Murree and its history predates the establishment of Rawalpindi. According to a 1905 map printed on cloth, the river once spanned 600 feet in width — today, it is reduced to just 200 feet, with the remaining 400 feet consumed by encroachments. This measurement was reaffirmed by a 2021 Survey of Pakistan report, which also declared the palatial homes and commercial plazas along its banks as illegal. Despite notices being issued, the matter was quietly buried. Stretching over 250 kilometres, the river traverses Murree, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Attock and Mianwali before merging into the Indus at Kalabagh. A historic railway track still crosses the river, with remnants visible today. During the regimes of Ayub Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, proposals were floated to build a dam at Soan Camp, claiming it to be 60pc naturally complete. These proposals were shelved following the fall of Bhutto's government. Archaeological evidence near the riverbanks, including tools dating back 2.2 million years believed to be made by Homo erectus, was discovered in caves. The Attock District Gazetteer notes tools like hunting knives, scrapers, and axes found in the ancient village of Dhoke Pathan. Thick forests and abundant wildlife once surrounded the area, where locals fished, drank from the river, and women washed clothes. Some of these ancient caves still exist near the Fauji Foundation Hospital. Fossils of giraffes, crocodiles, rhinos, and deerbelieved to have been discovered along Soanare preserved at the Museum of Natural History in Islamabad. In British colonial times, the water was so clear that licenses were issued to extract gold from its sands. Today, however, the Soan River is polluted, its flow has been reduced, and it poses significant environmental threats. Rawalpindi and Islamabad's sewage, hospital waste, industrial effluents, and stormwater from 15 drains all pour into it. When Rawal Dam's spillways open, thousands of fish are swept into the river and die upon contact with its toxic waters. Transporters at the nearby Soan Bus Terminal now wash hundreds of vehicles in the river daily. Each monsoon, its floods wreak havoc on settlements and farmland. This year, upscale housing societies also fell victim to the deluge. Longtime residents like Asghar Kayani and Raja Zaryab, who've witnessed over five decades of flooding, say that the river's original width once allowed floodwaters to pass harmlessly. Now, with 400 feet lost, destruction is inevitable. They demand the removal of illegal structures and restoration of the river's original breadth. Locals believe that if the government builds a dam here, it could surpass even Tarbela in storage capacity, thanks to a 200-kilometer catchment area.
Express Tribune
09-07-2025
- Express Tribune
No horse trading at donkey market
In a vibrant spectacle of hooves and heritage, the centuries-old donkey market at Tando Ghulam Ali kicks off its annual fair. PHOTO: EXPRESS One of Pakistan's oldest and largest donkey markets opened its annual fare at Tando Ghulam Ali, drawing huge crowds and colourful animals from across the country. High-breed donkeys and mules with unique names like Rocket, Missile, Kalashnikov, Modi, Kashmala, Sharmeela, Sheeri, Madhuri, Sheila, Heer Ranjha, and Yahoo became the centre of attention. This unique annual donkey market held on the 11th of Muharram in Badin attracted donkey lovers and buyers from all over Pakistan. The donkeys and mules brought to the market were beautifully decorated and adorned with colourful clothes, garlands, flowers, and other ornaments. To increase interest among visitors, donkey races were also organised. However, despite the large turnout and cultural significance of the event, the local municipal authorities failed to provide basic facilities. The lack of clean drinking water, washrooms, proper sanitation, and waiting areas caused inconvenience to many buyers. According to elderly residents, this market began even before the creation of Pakistan. In those times, due to the lack of roads and transport, people from far-off villages would attend Muharram processions using donkeys and donkey-carts. Over time, this informal gathering grew into a full-fledged market. The importance of this market grew even more during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s when donkeys and mules were heavily smuggled to Afghanistan. These animals played a vital role not only in delivering ration supplies but also in transporting weapons through the rugged terrains. A long-time buyer recalled how these donkeys and mules would cross mountainous paths to deliver supplies to their destinations. In the modern era of pickups and loader bikes, this donkey market remains a vital part of Badin's cultural heritage.
