SIALKOT, Dec 3: The shortage of animals in the markets have forced the sellers to increase prices of mutton, beef and chicken in the district.

It is learnt that they were selling mutton at the rate of Rs210 to Rs230 per kilogram instead of fixed official rate of Rs130 per kg, beef at Rs125 per kg instead of Rs70 per kg and chicken at Rs115 to Rs125 per kg instead of Rs65.

Consumers have complained that the butchers were directly and indirectly involved in the price hike. They urged the government to take stock of the situation and bring down the prices so that the poor could eat the commodity.

A number of butchers told this correspondent on Friday that they were forced to increase the rates due to shortage of animals in the markets. They claimed that the traders were indulging in the export of animals to Afghanistan and the UAE.

THREE KILLED: Three people, including a PPP worker, were killed in separate accidents. Bilal Pasha, press secretary of PPP (Europe) president Matloob Ahmad Warraich, was killed in a road accident near Ghuienky on main Daska-Motra Road on Thursday night.

He was laid to rest in Farooqia Graveyard, Islampura, Daska city. Meanwhile, Mr Warraich and PPP central secretary general Jehangir Badr have condoled the death of Bilal Pasha.

Labourer Muhammad Riaz slipped from the door of an overloaded passenger wagon and crushed under its wheels on the Daska-Pasrur Road near Mundeyki. The 10-year-old Munazza was crushed by a speeding truck (RIP-1995) on Motra-Badiana Road near Naakhey.