A Weekend Where Birds Rule and Families Wander

Zia Ur Rahman

Islamabad: Every Sunday, a quiet patch of open ground near Sangam Khanna Pul along the Expressway transforms into something extraordinary, a marketplace, a carnival, and a small universe of colour, feathers, and wings.

There are no banners, no loudspeakers, no formal stalls. Just the soft hum of families arriving after Zuhr prayers, the rhythmic whistling of birds, and the tiny, eager footsteps of children weaving through cages brimming with life.

Twelve-year-old Dawood Hassan and eight-year-old Shah Nawaz move carefully, fingers clasped to their uncle’s as they navigate a maze of cages, each containing birds that shimmer in the winter sun.

Their mission is simple: to choose birds for their home. Yet the ritual carries weight, for them, this is not just shopping, it’s a serious responsibility, a connection to life beyond screens and classrooms.

Nearby, siblings Azan and Umar tend to their modest motorcycle-mounted cage. Inside, their African parrots shift restlessly, bright eyes scanning the crowd. “We raised them ourselves,” Azan says. “They laid eggs, and now we have more birds than space.” Umar adds, “They are like family.”

The Sunday gathering is a delicate balance of commerce and emotion. For some, it is trade; for others, attachment, memory, and reluctant farewells.

Farrukh Ahmad, a regular participant, sets up his cages with African love birds, priced from a few thousand rupees per pair to more accessible options. “Sunday is good for sales,” he says. “A little extra income helps.”

But birds are only part of the story. Majestic desi roosters dominate attention with glowing red crests, gleaming feathers, and an air of unmistakable authority. Luqman Shah from Bannu gestures toward a particularly striking specimen.

“The most admired breeds are Mianwali and Sindhi,” he says, listing others: Mushka, Lakha, Chaina, Sawa, Aseel. Prices can soar beyond one hundred thousand rupees, depending on strength, posture, feather quality, and sharp spurs.

For many families, however, the birds are destined for the kitchen rather than competitions. Desi hens and roosters are carefully selected for traditional dishes, slow-cooked yakhni, rich curries, and comforting weekend meals.

Occasionally, the lively atmosphere brushes against legality. Ahmad Khan Niazi from Mianwali notes that authorities sometimes disperse crowds, particularly when illegal rooster fights are suspected. Otherwise, the market hums with peaceful energy.

Bright yellow cockatiels tilt their crests inquisitively. Budgerigars flutter like living confetti. Ring-neck parrots watch sharply, while love birds sit quietly in colourful pairs.

Rabbits twitch their noses in small enclosures, drawing delighted smiles from children, and a few thick-coated dogs attract their own curious audience. One particularly large duck commands both admiration and cautious respect from onlookers.

Eight-year-old Shah Nawaz steps back instinctively, then redirects his attention to a pair of love birds. “They have beautiful eyes,” he whispers.

Around him, countless similar negotiations unfold, children lobbying passionately, parents weighing budgets, sellers bargaining with practiced skill. Every cage becomes a conversation; every purchase, a small family decision.

Even college students find opportunity here. Muhammad Saleh, juggling studies and pocket money, treats bird sales as a weekend livelihood.

As afternoon light softens, transactions conclude, cages thin, and engines hum across the field. By the end of the day, the ground empties, leaving behind faint feathers, quiet echoes, and the promise of another Sunday.

And come next week, without announcement or ceremony, the wings, whistles, and weekend dreams will return once more, a fleeting sanctuary where commerce, family, and the magic of birds coexist in perfect harmony.

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