Deputy Commissioner Office Rawalpindi on Tuesday announced that the applications for collecting hides of sacrificial animals would be received till July 10 and after the deadline, no application would be entertained. According to a DC office spokesman, the administration would not allow anyone to collect hides without prior permission of the authorities concerned as the Punjab government has imposed a ban on collection of hides without No Objection Certificate (NOC) on Eid-Ul-Azha. The charity organizations intending to collect the hides of the sacrificial animals are directed to submit applications to the office of Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi for permission letter by July 10. The Home Department of Punjab Government has banned the collection of the hides without the approval of the competent authority. The DC office Rawalpindi will not receive any application for the permission letter after the expiry of the above mentioned date. Any organization or person who will collect hides of the sacrificial animals without prior approval will be treated as an offence and strict action would be taken against them as per law. At least 85 proscribed organisations and banned outfits are on the radar of the Punjab Home Department for hide collection ban. Some 11 sub-organizations have also been included in the proscribed list. The home department has sent letters to all district commissioners, including Rawalipindi’s to strictly stop members of these banned outfits from collecting hides for raising funds. The banned outfits will not be allowed to collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eid-Ul-Azha. The collection activity by an individual or organisation would be subject to permission from the deputy commissioner. Punjab Home Department has directed the law enforcement agencies to remain alert during Eid-Ul-Azha. The authorities have been directed to keep a vigilant eye on the outfits that were either banned or put under surveillance. Every year, Muslims around the world sacrifice animals on Eid-Ul-Azha and in a spirit of charity, donate the pelts of the sacrificial animals to various organisations collecting them. Several religious seminaries and charity organisations try to collect a maximum number of hides since it is a lucrative business. The hides are sold to tanneries that willingly take them, process them into fine leather, and sell them on to factories producing leather products. They have a great demand in the fashion industry, domestic and international markets. The hide collection is a cash-generating activity worth billions of rupees. The skins collected at sale points end up in tanning factories which feed the local and foreign leather industry. The activists of political and religious parties, including banned organisations, do whatever it takes to ensure they fetch the maximum number of skins to earn the profit. Besides religious seminaries, human rights and social welfare organisations, several militant organisations which are banned or under surveillance, attempt to gather the hides to finance their illegal activities. The organisations, which have been banned by the government, endeavour to collect pelts for their coffers and pursue their illegal activities. Notably, in big cities, various banned outfits have changed their names and set up charities to continue the accumulation of hides by putting up banners and posters. However, the people should remain vigilant and only give them to the poor, needy orphans, widows, other deserving persons, and registered seminaries. The police will also form teams tasked to ensure that members of banned organisations could not collect animals’ hides on Eid-Ul-Azha this year.