LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved more than 6,000 applications for the collection of sacrificial animal hides ahead of Eidul Azha, according to an official figures showing extensive scrutiny of applications across all nine divisions of the province.
The data available with Daily Jang showed that out of 6,472 applications received from organisations and entities seeking permission to collect hides, 6,017 were approved, while 453 were rejected. Only two applications remained pending at the provincial level.
Officials said 65 appeals were filed against rejected applications, of which six were accepted and 59 rejected, with no appeal remaining pending. Officials said the scrutiny and approval process was conducted under the provincial government’s regulatory mechanism designed to monitor hide collection activities and prevent unauthorised organisations from participating in the exercise.
Bahawalpur division recorded the highest number of applications as well as the largest volume of rejections and appeals. The division received 1,388 applications, of which 1,268 were approved and 120 rejected. A total of 41 appeals were filed from the division, but only one was accepted.
Within the division, Bahawalpur district emerged as the single largest contributor to rejections, with 62 applications turned down out of 260 submissions. All 40 appeals filed from the district were rejected. Bahawalnagar district received 326 applications, approving 307 and rejecting 19, while one appeal filed there was accepted. Rahim Yar Khan processed the highest number of applications in the province at district level, receiving 802 applications and approving 763.
Multan division ranked second in terms of applications received, processing 1,000 requests. Authorities approved 945 applications and rejected 55, while no appeal was filed from any district in the division. Multan district received 421 applications, Khanewal 192, Vehari 251 and Lodhran 136.
Gujranwala division processed 916 applications and approved 849, rejecting 67. Gujranwala district alone received 273 applications, of which 237 were approved and 36 rejected. Gujrat submitted 168 applications with 161 approvals, while Sialkot recorded one of the highest approval ratios in the province, with 143 approvals out of 145 applications. Hafizabad saw seven rejections out of 55 applications, Mandi Bahauddin recorded 10 rejected applications and Narowal five. Only one appeal was filed in the entire division and it was rejected.
In Lahore division, authorities received 603 applications and approved 536, while 67 were rejected. Lahore district accounted for more than half the division’s rejections, with 63 applications turned down out of 325 submissions. Seven appeals were filed from the district, but none succeeded. Kasur and Sheikhupura secured complete approval for all applications received, while Nankana Sahib saw four applications rejected out of 111 submissions.
Faisalabad division processed 584 applications and approved 569, rejecting 14, while one application remained pending. Faisalabad district itself received 218 applications, approving 216 and rejecting one, with one case still pending. Jhang recorded 10 rejections out of 107 applications, while Toba Tek Singh had three rejected applications. Chiniot achieved full approval for all 106 applications submitted.
Rawalpindi division received 520 applications and approved 480, while 39 were rejected and one remained pending in Murree district. Rawalpindi district accounted for 261 applications with 252 approvals. Attock registered the highest rejection rate within the division, with 25 applications rejected out of 66 submissions. Jhelum and Chakwal together recorded only four rejections.
Sahiwal division emerged among the best performing regions in terms of approval ratio. Of the 406 applications received, 397 were approved and only nine rejected. Sahiwal and Okara districts secured 100pc approval rates, while Pakpattan accounted for all nine rejected applications in the division.
Sargodha division processed 368 applications, approving 347 and rejecting 21. Sargodha district recorded nine rejected applications, while Khushab, Bhakkar and Mianwali collectively accounted for 12 rejections.
Dera Ghazi Khan division received 687 applications and approved 626, rejecting 61. Rajanpur district registered the highest number of rejections in the division, with 27 applications rejected out of 150 submissions. The district also filed 11 appeals, three of which were accepted. Kot Addu submitted three appeals, two of which were accepted, while Muzaffargarh filed two appeals that were rejected.
Officials said the approval process involved verification of applicants’ credentials and scrutiny under the government’s code governing Eidul Azha hide collection. The annual exercise is closely monitored by the administration owing to concerns over misuse of charity collections and unauthorised fundraising activities during the religious festival.
