Expensive sacrificial goats force people to turn to cows and camels

By Nauman Tasleem

LAHORE: Fahim had gone Bakra Mandi to buy a sacrificial goat to sacrifise at the religious event of Eidul Azha but later decided to jointly sacrifice a cow. The reason for this change of heart is the high price being charged for sacrificial goats.

A Daily Times survey on Tuesday found that many people are thinking on the same patterns. Many Lahoris prefer joint-scarifies of cows or camels because of the high price of goats.

This year joint-sacrifices of camels have seen an increase. Many streets are seen with camels decorated with colourful garlands. Only a few years back camel sacrifices were not commonplace but nowadays people seem highly captivated in them. The high price of goats has brought along this changing trend. To buy a goat weighing around 20 kilograms, a person should have at least Rs 6,000. Considering this many people prefer camels or cows over goats.

Akram, a bystander at Bakra Mandi, said, “If I purchase a goat weighing 20 kilograms, then after sacrifice, I end up with only 10 or 12 kilograms of meat. I have a big family and a lot of relatives, giving them three or four pieces of meat is very embarrassing.” He added, “I have decided to go for a joint-sacrifice of a cow. This way I will be free on Eid day because I will not have to search for a butcher. Finding a butcher on Eid day is a hard task.”

As usual many seminaries, neighbourhood committees and mosques have arranged joint sacrifices. Banners are seen in various part of the city, attracting citizens to contribute in sacrificing a cow by paying from only Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500.

However, some people are only interested in sacrificing goats. “I know the prices of goats are ridiculously high but still prefer goats because it is a matter of my family prestige. Eid comes after a whole year and if I don’t go for the best sacrifice then its quite shameful of me,” said Riaz, while shopping at a Model Town market for a goat. He added, “I will wait a couple of days so that the prices might go down a bit and then buy a goat.”

The vast majority of people will be buying a goat a day before Eid or on Eid day because according to them its more convenient. “The price of animals goes down a day before Eid,” said Wajeeh, another would be buyer at Bakra Mandi. He added, “Last year, I adopted the same approach and succeeded in getting a goat at a very low price.”

Latif, an animal seller, when asked about the high rates said, “Its not our fault, we have to pay several types of taxes on the animals. Not only taxes but this year the transportation charges were increased by 25 percent because of the high price of petroleum. We are here to earn profit, not to lose money from our own pockets.”

Most of the sellers at Model Town market were of the view that prices would not decline on Eid day or a day before it.

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