MUZAFFARGARH: Rates in cattle markets of Sher Shah, Kot Addu and Chowk Munda on Sunday registered a considerable decrease after a number of farmers brought their animals for sale in the wake of reports of heavy floods, it was learnt.

Ramzan, a trader, said when he went to Sher Shah cattle market on Sunday along with his 17 buffaloes and six goats, he came to know that rates have plummeted.

“Two traders called me and offered Rs50,000 for each buffalo and Rs6,000 for a goat. I told them a buffalo and a goat cost me Rs62,000 and Rs8,000 respectively. Eventually I disposed of all animals in loss,” he said.

In Muzaffargarh district where flood alert was issued, farmers rushed to markets and decided to sell their animals because they apprehended shortage of fodder and husk in coming days.

Dawn learnt that traders from upper Punjab and Peshawar thronged the cattle markets to ‘cash in on the flood opportunity.’

A livestock official claimed that in the 2010 flood 80,000 cattle had perished.

‘ENCOUNTER’: A robber was killed by the firing of his accomplices on Saturday night at Kundai, some 150-km away from city area.

A police handout said Wazeer Shikrani alias Wazeera was wanted in a number of cases. During a raid, he fired on police, injuring SI Rafi.

It claimed that when police besieged the suspects, accomplices of Wazeer Shikrani killed him and managed their escape. He hailed from Rajanpur district and was involved in criminal activities in three districts.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2014