For Muslims, Eid ul Azha is a time to reflect somberly on their many blessings, which is symbolized by a religious sacrifice made in God’s honour. People here unfortunately have a tendency to get too caught up in the performative aspects of the ritual and forget that their faith also has other important teachings, such as cleanliness, that need to be followed with consistency. This is unfortunate because it happens with so many other sacred observances. While it is undeniable that many Pakistanis participate in Eid ul Azha rituals with zeal and enthusiasm, planning and saving for weeks or even months beforehand, it is important to wonder why so little of that preparation appears to go into the other crucial aspect of sacrifice: what to do with the animal’s remains after all religious obligations have been satisfied.
Clearly, each of us has a responsibility. Even without Eid, our local administrations frequently deal with garbage disposal. On Eid ul Azha, any resources they do have tend to be swiftly exhausted as they scramble to dispose of the mountains of offal left over after the sacrifices of millions of people. Citizens must take responsibility in this matter by making arrangements for garbage removal crews to collect the remains of their sacrifices. If local government agencies have made known certain locations where offal can be dropped off for simple pickup and transit to a disposal zone, these locations should be used with care. The more responsible residents should encourage their neighbours and family members to do the same. Animal waste that has been improperly disposed of poses a serious biohazard in addition to being irritating to the senses, particularly when the climate is as hot and muggy as it is right now across the nation. People who live close to airports should take extra precautions because disposing of animal waste too close to a landing strip can put aeroplanes at danger for bird attacks since swarms of scavenging birds congregate near carrion. As the festivities begin, both citizens and the authorities must cooperate to maintain cleanliness and safety.
