Rawalpindi: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has come under severe criticism after imposing a 2 percent tax on buyers at the Bhatta Chowk cattle market ahead of Eidul Azha, making it increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens to perform Qurbani.
Citizens argue that at a time when inflation has already pushed household expenses beyond the reach of many families, the additional financial burden has made the religious obligation even harder to fulfill.
In contrast, the Punjab government has declared cattle markets across the province tax-free to facilitate the public during Eid.
For the first time, the RCB has introduced charges on buyers in addition to the fees already being collected from livestock traders. The decision has sparked anger among the citizens, resulting in frequent disputes and scuffles between buyers, sellers, and the contractor’s staff at the market. Many people are now preferring alternative cattle markets due to the excessive charges imposed at Bhatta Chowk.
The situation worsened after contractors allegedly introduced an additional “slip fee” on buyers. According to complaints, livestock traders bringing large animals into the market are already paying Rs5,000 per animal, while smaller animals are charged Rs4,000.
However, buyers claim that after purchasing an animal, they are forced to pay an additional Rs6,000 for large animals and Rs3,000 for small animals before being allowed to leave the market. Citizens alleged that armed personnel hired by contractors prevent them from taking their purchased animals out of the market without paying these charges.
Livestock traders have also expressed frustration over soaring operational costs and alleged violations of official rates.
Additional CEO RCB Arshad Khan stated that official entry fees were fixed at Rs3,000 for large animals and Rs2,000 for small animals to be collected from sellers only. However, traders accused contractors of openly violating these orders and collecting extra money from both buyers and sellers.
