Local vendors demand more cattle markets in federal capital

Islamabad: Local vendors on Friday demanded more cattle markets in the federal capital, while raising their concern over the financial losses incurred due to imposition of section 144, restricting the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals only to one market in capital.

Over 40 per cent of the local traders from rural areas of the capital, which make half of the Islamabad’s total population of around two million, are associated with the cattle farming business.

They said some years ago, four local cattle markets were allowed to set up in different areas of the city, and they would have to wait for a year to get the reward of their hard work.

Unfortunately, due to high taxes, transportation and cost of fodder, it had become difficult to earn any profit. The markets in Rawat, Bhara Kahu, Tramri and Sarai Kharbooza were not being established where majority of local traders use to brought their animal every year.

A vendor form Shehzad Town, Arsalan said he had been associated with cattle farming business for the last 10 years and use to earned decent profit at Eidul Azha, but this year “I am not allowed by the area police to sell my animal even at my own farm house due to implementation of section 144.”

He said over the last 10 years, he used to take his animals to a nearby Taramri Chowk cattle market, however, this year he could not afford to take dozens of his livestock to I-12 market as it costs heavy amount.

He said entry fee, transportation, animal fodder and his workers daily cost of living causes high prices in the market. He also demanded the city administration to review the decision and allow establishing local cattle markets for the ease of traders and buyers.

A local vendor at I-12 cattle market, Kala Khan revealed that for a two weeks stay here, a cow s expenditure costs him Rs15,000 while for a small goat Rs8,000. Umar khan, a buyer who came here from Rawat said he had travelled 29km to buy a sheep and managed to purchase it at Rs30,000 after a marathon bargaining.

“Now I am being demanded Rs3,000 to 4,000 as transportation charges to take it home,” he said. It is pertinent to mention here that the Islamabad District Magistrate on July 22 has issued the directives to all the related departments to take a strict action against those selling animals other than the designated market of I-12.

NTC: Federal Secretary Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui has directed National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) to start campaign for the recovery of its dues.

The secretary gave this direction during his visit to National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) Headquarters, a press release received here on Friday said. Shoaib Ahmad asked Managing Director (MD) National Telecommunication Corporation, Brigadier (r) Viqar Rashid Khan that the NTC should extend its outreach across country and it should especially focus on less-developed areas of Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Earlier, Viqar Rashid Khan briefed the secretary about the working of the NTC and its achievements during the last five years. The Secretary was also apprised about the projects of the NTC. The managing director said that NTC was the first public sector telecoms operator to establish the cloud based Tier-III National Data Center.

Shoaib appreciated the initiatives taken by NTC for provision of secure and reliable data services to federal government and other public sector organizations. The secretary said that he was happy to learn that the NTC was managing its expenses itself and generating its revenue. He said that the Ministry of IT and Telecommunication would extend its full support for resolving all issues of NTC. Shoaib also visited National Data Center at NTC and appreciated the performance of NTC.