SWABI, Nov 4: The tehsil municipal administrations in Swabi district on Friday set up various makeshift markets of sacrificial animals to facilitate people in purchasing animals near their houses. Dawn

Officials told the buyers would not have to bear expenditures on transport of animals as cattle markets had been set up at places covering the entire district.

The markets were set up at Maneri, proper Swabi, Kalu Khan, Yar Hussain, Chota Lahor, Tordher, Topi, Gadoon Belt, Shewa, Tarakai, Salim Khan, Kalabat, Zarobi, Gohati, Manki, Zaida, Shah Mansoor, Dobian, Charbagh, Afghan refugee camps in Gohati and Gandaf and some other localities.

The TMA officials said in the past due to absence of such markets people had to buy animals way before Eid, which put extra financial burden on them in terms of purchasing feed.

The officials said a large number of animals were brought to the district from Punjab necessitating opening of cattle markets, adding the TMAs would also be able to fetch handsome revenue.

Mohammad Sardar, who has brought animals from Punjab province, said people preferred to purchase sacrificial animals in the last two-three days before Eid keeping in view rising price of fodder and lack of space at homes to keep animals.

However, the animal traders said due to inflation they did not see the past enthusiasm in the people to purchase the sacrificial animals.

They said poverty was the main reason, keeping the people away from performing the ritual.

Meanwhile, at cattle markets in Topi and district headquarters majority of people took interest in buying goats instead of cows or buffaloes.

?I am interested in buying a goat and so are other members of my family,” said Afsar Khan.