Rawalpindi: No sacrificial animals ‘mandis’ to be allowed inside the city

[Naveed Yaseen]

Three points set up on the suburbs for sale of sacrificial animals

Thursday, November 12, 2009
Khalid Iqbal

Rawalpindi

Sacrificial animal sellers would not be allowed to enter Rawalpindi as all ‘mandis’ have been shifted to three main points outside the city due to security reasons. There would be no sacrificial animal ‘mandi’ for Eidul Azha in city areas and violators would face legal action and fines.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Captain ® Zahid Saeed on Wednesday directed TMO Rawal Town Nasir Ali Shah and TMO Potohar Town Muhammad Mumtaz to remove all existing ‘mandis’ from city areas and ordered them to take strict action against violators in this regard.

In a high-level meeting, the city administration decided to allocate three points for setting up animal ‘mandis’, one along Chakri Road near Mehr Ali Shah Town, second along Adiala Road near Gulshanabad and third at Sagri near Rawat.

Zahid Saeed told ‘The News’ that they could not allow entry to any animal seller in the city areas due to present security threats. He said considering the situation he has directed concerned managements to shift animal sellers to the three points. Terrorists could enter the city in disguise of animal sellers therefore they took the decision, he said. He also said that he directed the city police to stop animal sellers coming from other areas from entering the city areas. He said that it is for the first time that they are removing ‘mandis’ from the city on Eidul Azha but they are helpless due to present situation. They could not allow animal sellers to stay near residential areas, he said.

Rawal Town (TMO) Nasir Ali Shah said that he deployed 15 inspectors for removing animal sellers from the city areas. They are making announcements in mosques to warn animal sellers to shift their animals outside the city in ‘mandis’ within 24 hours otherwise legal action would be taken against them, he said. He said violators would face fine from Rs20,000 to Rs100,000 and concerned authority could confiscate their animals.

He also said that there would be strict security arrangements at three sacrificial animal ‘mandis’ and police officials of concerned police stations would remain present at these points for 24 hours, he assured. He said that no tax would be charged at these ‘mandis’.

Every year on the occasion of Eidul Azha many sacrificial animal ‘mandis’ are set up in Rawalpindi city. Dhoke Syedan, Bagh Sardaran, Chungi No-22 near Bakra Mandi, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Chor near Shah Piyara, Misriyal Road, Scheme No-III, Dhoke Kala Khan, and Sadiqabad were previously among famous animal ‘mandis’.

‘The News’ learnt that herds of animal started arriving in Rawalpindi city. This time mostly animal sellers are coming from different areas of Punjab and not from NWFP and Balochistan.

This time prices of animals are touching sky as a normal goat is being offered for Rs12,000 to Rs15,000.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=208155