Traders of sacrificial animals are fleecing the sacrificers, who have no choice but to bow in view of the fast approaching Eid-ul-Azha, after paying huge levies to the 'army' without being provided with basic facilities.
Understandably, in a class-based society like Pakistan the 'mandi' was found divided into different categories in terms of rates and facilities depending upon area-background of the animals and selling points in the market.
Business Recorder on Friday surveyed the Sohrab Goth animal market and found a strong and visible impact of this categorisation on the prices of animals being sold in privileged and unprivileged parts of the cattle market located at Super Highway near New Subzi Mandi.
The first category included traders, who have their stalls established under big luxurious tents, the second category included those, who had come from Punjab, while the third category included those who were selling their animals in open.
Highest rates were noticed on the stalls under tents followed by those having animals from Punjab while comparatively reasonable prices of animals were observed on the stalls in open with their owners facing problems like cold, electricity, water shortage, etc.
The privileged bovine traders like Faisalabad Livestock, Shah Cattle Farm 2007, Al-Razzak Cattle Farm, Dilpasand, Fahad Merchant Diary Farm, etc, had animals mostly raised with special care for Eid-al-Azha with skyrocketed prices ranging from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3 million.
Though quite happy with the 'government' for the provision of water and security with a self-arranged electricity and shelter (tents) the big traders were found complaining of the fast decreasing purchasing power of buyers due to ever increasing rates of the sacrificial animals.
"Factors like smuggling of animals to Afghanistan and Iran and hoarding of fodder have increased rates in the local markets... the government should control it", said Mohammad Asghar Nagori of Sindh Dairy Farm.
"We have paid Rs 35,000 for the 35/180 feet plot on corner ... we are generating electricity on our own while water is provided by the army", said Nagori.
Upward trend was also witnessed on the stalls selling animals from Punjab and other far-flung areas of the country where an average size of multicolored (black and white) cow having 'do daant' (two teeth) was being priced from Rs 40,000 to Rs 0.5 million.
"We have paid Rs 15,000 for tents and pay Rs 20 for a gallon of water and Rs 25 per bulb to the contractor daily... while doctors charge Rs 500 for the check up only", said Fahim Qureshi, who had priced a giant cow weighing 30 maund' at Rs 0.5 million.
Those without shelter were seen more worried about the fast approaching winter coupled with lack of daily essentials like water, electricity, and shelter which was their own responsibility to arrange. They were demanding Rs 28,000 to 40,000 for cow of an average size.
"We are afraid of the weather as our animals will become sick if it gets cold further", said Mohammad Ramzan, adding: "We had paid Rs 500 for per animal and Rs 1,000 to somebody he could not recognise."
Bulls were, however, rated at comparatively low prices ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 0.1 million and Rs 0.22 million for two Quetta-based giant oxen.
On the taxes front, while Rs 10,120 were charged by the 'army' for a 8/8 feet plot, the stall holders had paid Rs 35,000 for the corner plots covering an area ranging from 36/120 to 35/180 feet. The animal sellers had to pay Rs 505 per animal to the 'army'.
The entry fee for the pushcarts and vehicles was fixed at Rs 2,000 and Rs 40 per vehicle respectively, said a Suzuki driver who was demanding Rs 700 to Rs 2,000 for transporting animals to different areas of the metropolis.
Interestingly, the market was preoccupied with traders' laying emphasis on 'Daant' (teeth) and 'Rung' (color) of the animal as a cow of a normal size (weighing 4-5 maund) was randomly priced between Rs 35,000 and Rs 70,000.
The people were also found fighting over their turn to buy water from a private tanker which was charging Rs 800 for the half tanker water, said Riaz Mehmood, a tea shop owner who was selling a cup of tea at Rs 10 due to high cost of production.
"They have given us only the land and nothing else...water, electricity, cleanliness... we arrange all of them", complained Mehmood. They were seen charging mobile phones for Rs 20 while selling the prepaid calling cards for Rs 100 at Rs 110 with a Rs 10 increase to what they said earn the invested money back and avoid loss.
The rate of meat appeared astonishing when this scribe doubted existence of a butcher shop in the animal market where animals are more likely to succumb to cold weather. One-kilogram meat was retailed at Rs 130 and Rs 150 without bones, which were rather lower than the outside markets where area-wise rates stand at Rs 140 and Rs 180 if without bones. On health side, a doctor, however, brushed aside the impression that rains had caused spread of diseases in the mandi.
"No lethal disease is prevailing in the market so far I have treated animals with minor injuries which they get during transportation", said Dr Mubashir Qadeer Abbasi, who failed to show his degrees on demand.
He also rejected the claim of animal sellers that the doctors were charging Rs 500 for check up saying: "We take as much as Rs 150 to Rs 200 when the disease is such where the medicine and injection is necessary."
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