Skyrocketing prices of sacrificial animals: Collective Qurbani trends increasing

RAWALPINDI: The post pandemic Eid-Ul-Azha has brought massive changes across all socio-economic facets of the society particularly rising trend of collective Qurbani (sacrifice of animals) due to skyrocketing prices of sacrificial animals. Most of the people are giving preference to Collective Qurbani instead of sacrificing animals individually on Eid-ul-Azha due to high prices of sacrificial animals.

This was revealed in a survey of the cattle market on Sunday conducted by this scribe. The residents of various localities have arranged for combined sacrifices with the cooperation of various religious and social organizations including local madrassas and mosques.

Others have arranged for combined Qurbani with their relatives and friends.

“It is better to take part in the collective Qurbani arranged by a nearby madrassa or mosque during these hard times of inflation, and we will do so because we will have to spend only Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 for a share and its affordable,” said a local resident, Raja Shaukat.

The prevailing economic crunch leading to limited incomes and livelihood amid steady increase in animal prices in the recent years has led to the trend of collective sacrifices, another citizen Majid Abbasi said.

The price of a goat and sheep in the cattle market was witnessed from Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000 while the prices of bull was recorded from Rs 80,000 to Rs 200,000.

Meanwhile, as the Eid day was drawing near the sale of sacrificial animals was gaining momentum where the city administration has allocated more than twelve points for establishing cattle markets for selling sacrificial animals.

The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has also issued elaborate guidelines for establishing cattle markets and general public visiting the markets for buying sacrificial animals.