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Express Tribune
6 days ago
- General
- Express Tribune
Rawalpindi goes full 'bakra mode'
Women and children gather around a bull destined for sacrifice as part of the Eidul Azha rituals, on the greenbelt of Sector G-6, Islamabad. PHOTO: RAJA ZAFAR/EXPRESS A record number of citizens headed to cattle markets to purchase sacrificial animals of their choice on Thursday. A large number of animals have already arrived for sale at all 23 small and large cattle markets across the city and district. The markets will remain open from 8am to 2am late at night. As Eidul Azha draws closer, despite official restrictions, the sale of small and large sacrificial animals has started in marketplaces, street corners and vacant plots across the city effectively turning the entire city into a livestock market. In Rawalpindi, animals are being sold on major roads, intersections and within densely populated residential areas. Due to the central cattle market at Bhatta Chowk being located 20 to 25 kilometres from the city and the resulting high transportation costs, many citizens are now preferring to buy animals from local neighbourhoods and nearby areas. After the district administration's announcement, the District Council has also declared six official cattle market sites within its jurisdiction, leading to a heavy influx of animals in these areas as well. Currently, cattle markets are active across Rawalpindi city and its outskirts including Ghazni Road, Bagh Sardaran, Pirwadhai, IJP Road, New Katarian, Dhok Hassu, Dhok Dalal, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Railway Road Bakery Chowk, the area behind the High Court, Swan Camp, Rawat, GT Road, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, Chohar Chowk, Chungi No. 22, Bakra Mandi, Dhok Syedan Road, Chaklala, Dhok Lalyal, Bhatta Mandi, Rahimabad Bridge, Tarnol Phatak, Peshawar Road Pirwadhai, Dhok Chohdrian Car Chowk, and in the tehsils of Chhani Pul, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Kotli Sattian and Taxila. Traffic jams are widespread around market areas and adjacent roads. The large number of loader vehicles, rickshaws and Qingqi rickshaws has made it difficult for people to move and even ambulances are getting stuck in traffic. Due to the constant arrival and departure of animals, the roads inside and around the cattle markets are littered with animal waste. Although traffic wardens have been deployed, the situation has spiralled out of control due to the overwhelming rush. Meanwhile, animal prices are skyrocketing. Bulls and cows are being sold for between Rs300,000 to Rs1.5 million, goats and sheep range from Rs150,000 to Rs500,000, while camels are priced between Rs500,000 and Rs1.5 million. Markets choked with Eid rush Our Correspondent RAWALPINDI: Due to the heavy Eidul Azha shopping rush, traffic came to a standstill across all commercial centres, markets, and plazas in Rawalpindi. With today being both Friday and Chand Raat (the night before Eid), additional security arrangements have been made in the markets. All major shopping areas will remain open until 2am tonight. Saddar bazaars have been made one-way to manage the flow. Severe congestion was reported in Commercial Market, Murree Road, Saddar, Tench Bhatta, Bara Market, Raja Bazaar, and Moti Bazaar — the latter being a popular shopping spot for women. Pedestrian movement became extremely difficult due to overcrowding. Incidents of purse snatching in Moti Bazaar have increased, prompting the deployment of female police officers in the area. On Thursday as well, markets remained packed with shoppers, with widespread encroachments and traffic jams. Despite the presence of traffic wardens, they were rendered ineffective due to the chaos. Illegal parking further worsened the situation. High demand pushes up slaughter charges Our Correspondent RAWALPINDI: With just one day left before Eidul Azha, butchers in Rawalpindi have significantly hiked their charges for slaughtering sacrificial animals, setting new records in rates. Due to high demand, bookings for the first day of Eid have already been closed. Butchers have introduced separate pricing for each of the three days of Eid, with further distinctions for morning and post-Maghrib (evening) slaughter. Temporary butchers from nearby areasparticularly from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's adjoining districts such as Haripur, Abbottabad, and Havelianhave also entered the market to earn during Eid. Many have shared their phone numbers and services on social media. According to current rates, slaughter and meat preparation of a cow or bull will cost Rs22,000 (in morning) and Rs20,000 (in evening), and for a goat or sheep Rs6,000 on first day of Eid. Butchers will charge Rs20,000 for cow/bull (in morning) and Rs18,000 (in evening), and Rs4,500 to Rs5,000 for goat/sheep. For the third day of Eid: rates for cow/bull will be Rs15,00016,000, and goat/sheep Rs4,000.
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Mock drills held amid war threat
In a strong show of patriotism and unity, banners expressing unwavering solidarity with the Pakistan Army popped up at Aabpara Chowk, Islamabad. The public display follows India's unprovoked missile strikes on multiple cities on May 6-7, widely condemned as naked aggression and violation of international laws. PHOTO: RAJA ZAFAR/EXPRESS The Rawalpindi police, Elite Force, Rescue 1122, and Civil Defence conducted a mock exercise at the district Police Lines headquarters to enhance preparedness for emergency scenarios in response to the threat of Indian aggression and the prevailing war-like situation. The objective of the drill was to strengthen coordinated and rapid response mechanisms in the event of any emergency. The mock drill simulated joint operational procedures for handling various emergency situations. Rawalpindi City Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani emphasised that top-tier training and readiness to respond to emergencies were core principles of Punjab Police and that the Rawalpindi Police were fully prepared to deal with any crisis. Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) in Murree also conducted a mock exercise. The exercise was held following the instructions of Punjab Emergency Services (Rescue 1122) Secretary Dr Rizwan Naseer, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Murree Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi, and the district administration. The purpose of the mock drill was to assess emergency response capabilities, ensure swift access to citizens in distress, relocate affected individuals to safe locations, provide timely rescue services, clear roads, restore traffic flow, and transport the injured to hospitals. It was a coordinated effort involving all allied departments in the Murree district, aimed at testing their readiness for any unforeseen emergencies. Participating departments included Rescue 1122 Murree, Punjab Police, PDMA, City Traffic Police, Pakistan Army, Civil Defence, Punjab Tourism Squad, Highway Department, Health Department, Forest Department, Meteorological Department, Education Department, and the Murree Municipal Corporation, among others. All agencies took part using their available resources. Heads of all allied departments were present during the exercise. DC Shirazi reviewed the rescue operations and evaluated the performance of various departments during the drill. The drill was conducted on an emergency basis given the current situation, not only to ensure rapid on-site response but also to test inter-departmental coordination and resource readiness in crisis situations. box Schools asked to prepare emergency evacuation plans OUR CORRESPONDENT RAWALPINDI. Amid ongoing military tensions with India, the Department of Education has instructed educational officers to coordinate with school administrations to formulate emergency evacuation plans to ensure the safety of students, teachers and non-teaching staff. These plans must include clear evacuation routes from every classroom to secure locations such as basements or interior rooms. Teachers are advised to keep students calm and comfort frightened children by reassuring them that they are safe and by distracting them with stories or drama activities. Crying children should be comforted with hugs. In the event of a blackout or attack, students should stay away from windows, switch off electrical appliances, and remain silent. If an explosion is heard inside the school, students should follow the "Drop, Cover, Hold" protocollie down, cover their heads, and take shelter under sturdy furniture. Schools are also instructed to maintain basic first-aid kits. Teachers should respond immediately to injuries by stopping bleeding or applying bandages. All principals, headmasters, teachers, and staff are required to conduct regular drills to ensure everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Schools should create SMS or WhatsApp groups with parents for rapid communication. Emergency contact numbers for local authorities (police, hospitals) must be readily available. box Merchants waive profits amid border tensions our correspondent RAWALPINDI. The Kiryana Merchant Association has announced the sale of all grocery items under a "No Profit, No Loss" policy for the next 15 days, in response to the ongoing war like situation in the country. The Association urged the Rawalpindi district administration to increase the supply of sugar and ghee to address the ongoing shortages of these items. Saleem Parvez Butt, the president of the Central Traders Association, says the central, divisional, and district organisations have strictly prohibited all Kiryana merchants from hoarding due to growing tensions between Pakistan and India. They have been instructed to sell household items such as pulses, white flour, rice, flour, sugar, tea, ghee, oil, and milk in packets at the same price at which they were purchased, without making any profit. Merchants have also been directed not to engage in hoarding. He emphasised that during these challenging wartime conditions, all Kiryana shopkeepers, from small to large businesses, in local markets and wholesale outlets, should follow this directive to provide relief to the public. The central organisation in Lahore has issued similar guidelines, and in the Rawalpindi Division, the policy has been implemented starting today, Thursday, for the next two weeks, Butt added. He further mentioned that there is a shortage of sugar and ghee in the open market, urging the district administration to immediately increase the supply of both items. Additionally, he called for an immediate halt to the issuance of fines, raids, and the penalisation of shopkeepers.
