KHYBER AGENCY: Contrary to the previous years, the Pakistan border security officials imposed a ban on entry of sacrificial animals from Afghanistan via Transit route of Torkham.
The tribesmen are of the view that local residents prefer to sacrifice small animals like lamb, sheep and goat to perform Sunnah Ibrahimi on the Eid-ul-Azha but the irrational decision of Pak officials of restricting entry of the animals from Afghanistan added their difficulties as not enough animals are available and the cattle market of Landi Kotal presents a deserted look.
Shakir Afridi, a political activist, said that no go policy for sacrificial animals to Khyber Agency has been adopted by Peshawar and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). According to the animals’ suppliers, not a single animal could be taken to the Agency without paying bribes to the police posts at Ring Road and Kharkhano checkpoint.
When neither the KP police officials allow a smooth flow of sacrificial animals to Landi Kotal nor the Torkham border security official let the animals to enter into Pakistan from Afghanistan then how we will perform the religious custom, Afridi questioned. He requested the officials to adopt a pro-tribal policy in this regard so that they could observe Eid-ul-Azha with religious zeal and fervor.
Zulfiqar Khan, a local cattle trader, said frequently big sacrificial animals like cow, oxen and buffalo are brought from downtowns while small animals are supplied by the traders from across the border to the local market.
He further added that six to nine thousands lambs, goats and sheep are supplied to the local market by the gypsy families and dealers from Afghanistan and the price ranges from Rs 7000 to 20,000 but this year the disallowed policy of the Pak officials at Torkham border would compel the local dwellers not to fulfill the religious ceremony as they could not afford expensive cattle supplied from Peshawar and other downtown cities to the local markets.
When Torkham administration official Ali Raza was contacted on the issue, he said the supply of the animals has not been prohibited although Rs.500 per head Agency Tax has been imposed on the entry of a sacrificial animal from Afghanistan.
The dealers said the Afghan officials on the other side of the border in reaction to the double Pakistani tax cannot pay such huge amount tax as they bring flocks of the animals at a time therefore supply has been suspended for Landi Kotal.
The tribesmen appealed to the authorities concerned to have sympathy for them and relax the border movement for the sacrificial animals so that they can perform the sacred rite.
