Sacrificial animals start arriving in city

N H ZUBERI

KARACHI: Sacrificial animals have started arriving in the city and are being herded in the streets to attract customers although Eid-ul-Azha is more than three weeks away.

Besides the arrival of sacrificial animals, different Masjids have also started offering a share in cows and are offering shares for  Rs 7,500 to Rs 10,500.

A small number of animals, particularly cows, goats and sheep, have arrived in the city so far.

The growing use of the online business in the country has also started influencing the impending religious event (Eid-ul-Azha) as online sale and purchase of sacrificial animals has started on different websites.

Hoardings have also started appearing on different roadsides offering sacrificial animals online. One site offered a share in a cow for Rs 8,500 and promised to deliver the share at home on the first day of Qurbani.

The site also offered goats and sheep at Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 each depending on size and weight. A visit of the web sites show pictures, video clips, weight, price and other required information about animals available.

Beside this a large number of animals from different areas of the country are brought to the “Mandis” of Karachi every year.

Most of the animals making their way to Karachi for Eid-ul-Azha are transported from District Rahimyar Khan. However, the seller of cattle are expecting the arrival of 300,000 cows and 250,000 goats by Eid-ul-Azha this year.

At present, only a small number of goats and cows have arrived in the city. Some sacrificial animal dealers at the main university road near Saphora roundabout told Business Recorder that they have brought about 20 cows and 30 goats from the interior of Sindh.

However, the middle class fears that because of the increasing prices of essential commodities, the rates of sacrificial animals would also remain out of reach of the general public.

They predicted greater sales of cows and buffalos owing to the high price of sacrificial animals, which force people to opt for collective-sacrifice.