Customers take little interest in visiting various animal markets of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad owing to high prices of sacrificial animals. A small number of people daily visits these temporarily set up markets, hoping prices may fall in the last two days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha on December 21.
Animals markets have been set up at I-11/1, Bhara Khau, Pir Wadhai Mor, Dhoke Sayedan, Rawat, Khana Pul, Bakra Mandi, G-8 and G-11 Markaz and other suburbs areas of twin cities.
The price of goat ranges between Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000 depending upon health of animal. The price of a cow is between Rs 30,000 and Rs 80,000 and camel price is between Rs 30,000 to Rs 80,000. Due to high rates of animals, people prefer to contribute money to buy cow and buffalo for collective sacrifice on Eid. Contribution for cow in collective "Qurbani" ranges between Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,000 and for camel between 3,500 to Rs 5,000.
Most animal sellers come from other parts of the country including Jhang, Khushab, Mianwali, Sargodha, Shakargarh and Layyah. Muhammad Shabbir of Bhara Kahu area said he had been visiting the market for the last three days but could not buy animal because of high prices.
Muhammad Munir and Israr Ali, an animal seller from Jhang said, "We have spent huge money on animals food and their transportation to markets, that is why we demand appropriate money".
They said that normally they spent Rs 50 to Rs 100 on fodder of a goat and Rs 100 to Rs 300 on a cow per day. Besides, living cost per person ranges between Rs 150 to Rs 250 per day. They said that price hike has reached to such an extent that customers were showing little interest in buying animals at market rates. "Although, we get profit in selling animals but the rate of profit is low as compared to last year", they said.