Devotion Not Display!
Asem Mustafa Awan
Islamabad: It is hot and the temperature is soaring, and the bone-tired man sleeps in the feeding trough as, after serving them with fodder, he is too tired to find a spot to sleep.
Eid is a few days away but ever-increasing inflation has resulted in people staying away from the markets that have been set up in different places.
The rules laid down by the district administration have resulted in prices getting higher as vaccination and space provided, besides water and electricity, all cost money, and these services are provided to those who are willing to grease the palms of these officials and more. In the coming days, these vendors will complain about electricity, water, and a lack of services.
These animals are raised by farmers and they are their most valuable possession. In any unforeseen circumstance, it is the creature that comes to the farmer’s rescue.
Pakistan is an agrarian country and a large swath of its population is associated with the trade. It is a fact that despite having the land and all the resources, the nation suffers from a flour shortage.
It is not long ago that many people died for a bag of flour that was provided by the government at a subsidised rate and what happened after when the accounts were tallied would be a scandal of mega corruption. The free wheat provided by the government was not fit to eat, and many videos are available to verify the claim. What is likely to happen in the future is the same shortage but on a larger scale.
These cattle owners, with the exception of a few who raise prized animals at exorbitant prices, also depict the mindset of the people. There are bulls, camels and even goats fetching prices in the millions and above, and what is told to the public about the diet of these creatures is somewhat fabricated. The massive size of these animals is due to muscle-enhancing injections that result in a number of complications, but for a common man, it is the size that matters which also represents social status.
The fake pretence also made this religious duty difficult for the ordinary public, as current inflation stands at nearly 40 per cent.
Eid on a festive note is an event where masses throng the markets and take a look at the animals as not many have the means to visit the zoo, and this event is the only entertainment for the poor, who wait for a whole year to take their youngsters to the markets.
These cattle are brought from different parts of Pakistan and though the government has set up vaccination centres there, the fact is that these animals have roamed their areas free and without any restraint.
Getting them to the city has already put great stress on them and Karachi has people who have raised animals on top of the roofs, and cranes are used to bring them down.
Incidents do happen as these animals, in fright mode while fleeing, crash into people and vehicles. It is advised that instead of displaying the animal, the buyers should look after it well and create a stress-free environment for the animal that will stand witness to the owner on ‘Judgement Day’.
The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.
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