Capital slaughterhouses all set for Eid al Azha with strict hygiene measures

ISLAMABAD : Butchers in various slaughterhouses all over the country including capital city are passing busy time in making sharp tools used for slaughtering sacrificial animals on Eid ul Azha and taking online advance orders amid coronavirus. Like previous years, business of seasonal butchers, blacksmiths and knife sharpeners has registered upward boom as they are receiving incalculable ‘advance online orders’ from citizens ahead of Eid ul Azha. According to details, the people are looking for trained butchers to slaughter their sacrificial animals online and avoiding to visit their shops amid Covid-19. A slaughterhouse in F-10 talking to APP said that amid coronavirus, a strict precautionary and hygiene measures have been stepped up for the Eid. Basit Zain said, this year citizens should encourage the trend of online buying, e-selling and slaughter arrangements of the animals as much as possible in their respective cities and towns. Buyers and butchers must wear surgical or medical mask as per govt orders while slaughtering animals at home, a citizen Mohsin Ikram urged. Another citizen Bilal Malik said, Social media platforms are providing online buying and sacrificial services,However,the pandemic situation coupled with new restrictions have increased their popularity by manifold this year.“I have booked sacrifice through an online website this year as I am not comfortable with the idea of exposing myself by visiting the cattle market, and slaughtering the cattle outside my house”, said Yousaf Amin. A trained butcher in Sittara Market said, to limit the number of customers in butcheries, orders can be placed via mobile apps and my all workers strictly orders to follow government given SOPs while visiting homes on Eid days. The fee for slaughtering animals remains unchanged, he assured. A butcher in G-10 Market said due to coronavirus my business was affected but at this time of eid we will slaughtered animals during Eid-ul Azha and earned good money. “Mostly young boys in the city slaughter their animals themselves, said a citizen Umair Javed , adding, but mostly wealthy people hire professional butchers to slaughter the animals.The people in Islamabad hire butchers and pay handsome money to them each year, said Amjad Suleman. He also complaint that some butchers are demanded more money for slaughtering this year. The demand of tools used for slaughtering animals sees also a sharp rise during Eid while many people bring damaged tools for repair, said several slaughterers in Abpara Market.