Daily Times

Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry has proposed to setup “Online
Market of Cattle and Animals” on this Eid ul Adha to avoid huge physical gatherings of
people in the prevailing pandemic of Covid-19. Mr. Zark Khan, President, Mr. Moazzam
Ghurki, Senior Vice President and Mr. Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General along with
other members while exchanging views on continuing trade and industry under SOPs set
by the WHO, termed the trade of sacrificing animals a big threat of expanding the
Pandemic.

President PCJCCI Mr. Zarak Khan said the government and private sector are making
efforts to promote digital technology for business under the crucial days of Corona
Pandemic.

We should learn from the dangerous situation that occurred at Eid ul Fitre due to public
rush in softened lock down that worsened the condition of Covid 19, he said and urged that
we should be more meticulous while taking precautionary measure for Eid ul Adha. He
emphasized that the government should consider virtual world for Buying and Selling of
cattle for avoiding direct physical or social contact between the people. He informed that
every year Pakistanis are projected to spend Rs150 billion on Eidul Azha, for sacrificing an
estimated 2.5 million cows, bulls and buffaloes — with each animal having an average price
tag of Rs 60,000.

Mr. Moazzam Ghurki, Senior Vice President said, we are currently suffering from a global
pandemic, Eid-al-Aldha is an important festival and we can’t stop people from celebrating
it and buying animals. So the government should provide an online facility for this purpose
and roadside or outdoor cattle markets should be banned for the time. Covid 19 is a
dreadful disease and we are still working with the research about its transmission in the
animals, he said.

Mr. Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI commented that saving human lives is
the basic responsibility of the government, which requires exclusive measures to avoid
public gatherings on roadside and parks for cattle trading on this Eid ul Azha. Introducing
digital solution to this problem should be ensured, he said adding that such initiative if
taken would also help in monitoring the undue price hike of the animals.