With Eidul Azha just two weeks away, the prices of sacrificial animals, especially goats and sheep, have increased manifold. Most makeshift sacrificial animals’ markets in the provincial metropolis, including the Shahpur Kanjran, the largest one in Lahore, became functional on Friday, attracting a considerable number of potential buyers. However, most of visitors were seen returning without purchasing any animals, as the prices of sacrificial animals, what they say, were skyrocketing. The Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) specified 10 sites for establishment of makeshift cattle markets and sales points this year, and divided the city into seven zones for the purpose. Traders and cattle breeders, while responding to a survey, carried out by APP, said that major factors of skyrocketing of prices of sacrificial animals were because of high transportation and animal feeding costs, and the loss of livestock during the last year’s floods. The high prices of sacrificial animals have affected the low-income and salaried class the most. According to the survey, most people are giving preference to collective sacrifice due to high prices of sacrificial animals. They said that in Lahore markets, this year around 30 to 35 per cent more prices of sacrificial animals were being demanded by the cattle owners. A visit to different sale points also revealed that the price of a normal size goat, sheep, or lamb ranges from Rs 65,000 to Rs 75,000, whereas a medium-size cow and calf ranged from Rs 140,000 to Rs 300,000. Transporting animals from south Punjab to cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi or Faisalabad had gone a pricey affair,” Israr Gopang, a livestock breeder from Dera Ghazi Khan, said. When asked to comment on the high prices, he replied that last year a truck carrying animals to Lahore from Mithan Kot and Dera Ghazi Khan would cost Rs 48,000 to 50,000, but this year transporters were demanding around Rs 95,000 to 100,000 for the same task. On the other hand, sellers of sacrificial animals said that the main reason behind high prices of animals was increased costs of transportation and animal fodder. These factors are likely to trigger a supply shortage in the cattle markets as farmers would not be willing to come to Lahore, which would then result in traders charging even more,” Gopang claimed. “Another reason why the prices are high this year is the inflation rate. For instance, last year, the price of beef was Rs 450 per kilogram, while this year, it is increased to Rs 700 per kilogram,” he added. Moreover, caretaker Punjab Local Government Minister Ibrahim Murad chaired a meeting recently to review the arrangements for sale and purchase of sacrificial animals. He directed the officials concerned to make the sale points operational with the best arrangements ahead of Eidul Azha, and widely publicise its locations for public convenience through the media. Murad also directed them to provide cleaning arrangements including comprehensive security at the sale points. Moreover, arrangements for clean drinking water, power generators, lights, and parking should be ensured at these points while sewerage, ramps, and water tanks should be provided,” he ordered, adding that drains should be cleaned within five kilometres radius of animal sale points, to avoid public inconvenience, and pre-monsoon arrangements should also be complete at the earliest. Meanwhile, keeping in view the security measures regarding the Congo virus and lumpy skin diseases, the minister said that only healthy animals should be allowed to be brought to the cattle markets while the entry points of cities should be sprayed to prevent the Congo virus. Among the 10 makeshift markets and sale points, three temporary markets have been established at LDA Avenue-I (on Raiwind Road) and Pine Avenue Road, Nishter Zone at LDA City (near Sidhar Village at Kahna Kachha, two at Allama Iqbal Zone at NFC Society (near Bahria Town) and Raiwind (near Haveli Markaz, opposite Nisar Spring Mills on Sundar Road), and one each selling point at Turkey Road, near LWMC dumping point in Lakhodair (Wagha Zone), Hazrat Usman Ghani Road, near Saggian Road (Data Ganj Baksh Zone), Site for IT University (Main Campus) on Barki Road, near Paragon Society (Aziz Bhatti Zone), Faqeer Muhammad Dagya Road, near SNGPL Office (Ravi Zone) and Sports Complex at Adda Rakh Chabeel, near Manwan Hospital (Shalimar Zone). Like last year, the Lahore district administration intends to prohibit trading sacrificial animals outside these markets.