PESHAWAR: The trade of sacrificial animals has picked up momentum in the provincial metropolises as the faithful started coming to cattle markets in large number to purchase sacrificial animal because only two days are remaining in Eidul Azha.
It the second Muslim ritual that commemorates the supreme sacrifices of Hazrat brahim (AS) and his son Hazrat Ismail (AS).
Apart from domestic traders, the businessmen of Punjab and Sindh provinces have also brought their sacrificial animals in large number to fully exploit the lucrative market of Peshawar, which attracts buyers not only from Khyber Pakthunkhwa and FATA but also from neighboring Afghanistan.
According to a market survey conducted by this scribe on Wednesday, the sales and purchases of sacrificial animals have gained momentum in the local cattle markets, however its prices are sky high.
"Since last Tuesday, I have sold only 40 goats out of 55 ," Bashir Pathan, a local cattle dealer in Lala Kala market said.
"The buyers in groups are now coming in sufficient numbers to the markets and purchasing sacrificial animals and hopefully more will come in last two days," he said.
The sacrificial animals have started pouring into local markets but the prices are high and beyond the capacity of low-income groups and middle class.
A buffalo, cow and lean goat are now being sold at the range of Rs. 70,000-100,000, Rs. 40,000=60,000 and Rs. 20,000-30,000 in the local markets.
This year people are showing immense interests in sheep and goats," he said. However, people belonging to rural areas are preferring to buy buffalos, cow and oxen to perform collective sacrifices
In addition to domestic traders, the inter-provincial businessmen dealing in cattle-head are bringing their stock to Peshawar to get high prices in the wake of Eidul Azha.
"I have so far brought 20 trucks of cattle, eight cows in each truck from Jacobabad Sindh and my younger brother will send five more trucks on Friday to Peshawar," Aslam Khan, an inter- provincial exporter of Jacabobad Sindh said.
The demand of cow and oxen imported from Sahiwal, Sialkot and Kasur are also very high," Sifatullah, cattle businessman of Aslam Dheri, Pachagai Road said.
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