'Qurbani Tax' sparks uproar at Bhatta Market feature

RAWALPINDI: An additional levy of 2% on the buyers purchasing animals from the Bhatta Ground cattle market for Eidul Azha has been made by the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), leading to protests and clash of the people with contractor’s employees.

As per reports, the cantonment board has awarded the contract for holding cattle market not only for Eidul Azha but for whole year to a consortium of Haji Ismail & Co which has got the tender worth Rs3.05 billion this year. This contract also provides an option of weekly markets every Tuesday and Wednesday and in addition to this a clause of three year extension in it at 10% increase per annum.

For the first time in history, a new clause has reportedly been incorporated in the contract levying a “sale fee” of 2% on the buyers purchasing animals from here for sacrifice. According to the citizens, this is an unprecedented step as there is no such fee in any other cattle market in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and even in Punjab.

The fee is said to be collected forcefully by the employees of contractors. First of all, the buyers are welcomed for buying their animals and asked about the price of animal.

They are then informed that two per cent of the amount must be paid as tax before the animal can be taken out of the market.

Witnesses said arguments often escalate into scuffles and physical altercations. One buyer, Rashid, a resident of Rawalpindi's Gawalmandi area, said he was asked to pay Rs6,000 as tax.

When contacted for comment, contractor partner Mustafa Baloch could not be reached despite repeated attempts. However, Assistant Engineer Naveed Hussain, the cantonment official overseeing the contract, confirmed that Clause 9 of the agreement makes buyers liable to pay the two per cent sale tax and authorises the contractor to collect it.