PESHAWAR: Under the blazing afternoon sun at Peshawar’s bustling Lala Qala cattle market on Sunday, the warm air is thick with dust, the sounds of bleating goats and restless buffaloes, and the constant calls of inter provincial cattle traders trying to strike deals with locals before Eidul Azha.

For livestock dealers from KP, Punjab and Sindh, the season has brought booming business for many including farmers with feeds and transporters.

For many buyers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), however, finding an affordable sacrificial animal has become increasingly difficult these days due to soaring prices and people have urged district administration to ensure better facilities to them at cattle markets.

As Eidul Azha approaches, cattle markets across KP including Peshawar, Nowshera, Pabbi, Risalpur, Ring Road, Taru, Charsadda Road, Amangarh, and Lala Qala have started witnessing a massive influx of animals transported from Punjab.

Traders said the province remains one of the country’s most profitable markets during the annual qurbani season despite hot weather.

“I brought 20 truckloads of animals from Punjab on May 10, and 10 were sold out by Sunday” said Dilafar Shah Khan, a trader at the crowded Pabbi cattle market while talking to APP.

Smiling as customers gathered around his animals enclosure, he added, “My brother has already gone back to Punjab to arrange five more trucks because demand is overwhelming as Eidul Azha approaches.”

Transported livestock from Sahiwal and Qasur districts, he said the sales have been brisk despite rising costs due to hike in fuel prices.

“The real rush will begin in the last days before Eid.” But behind the vibrant business activity lies growing anxiety for both traders and consumers these days in Peshawar.

The scorching heat sweeping through KP especially in Peshawar has increased the risk of heatstroke among animals, while fear of diseases that may prove fatal for their livestock worry of livestock dealers.

Traders said these risks, combined with high transportation and fodder costs, have forced them to raise prices of sacrificial animals in Peshawar markets.

At Lala Qala market near Peshawar, 63-year-old retd PST teacher Riaz Khan wandered from animals stall to enclosures, to select a buffalo to avoid last days rush of Eidul Azha.

“I came from Nowshera hoping to buy a buffalo within our budget, but prices are much higher than last year,” he said with disappointment after hours of bargaining with dealers.

 “Maybe now I’ll return closer to Eid. If prices don’t fall, we may join a collective qurbani with neighbors.”

His frustration reflects the concerns of many middle-income and salaried families who are finding it increasingly difficult to fulfill the religious tradition of sacrifice amid inflation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

An APP survey of major cattle markets revealed that many visitors are now simply price-checking rather than purchasing and mostly returns empty handed.

Most of cattle markets lacks civic facilities like clean water, proper shelter, veterinary care, and fair pricing mechanisms. The citizens urged KP Govt to provide these facilities so that they may perform qurbani with dignity and ease.

Pensioners and salaried workers, in particular, appeared discouraged by soaring animal prices, expensive fodder, and rising transport fares besides poor facilities in cattle markets, demanding livestock department and district administration to arrange DVM doctors, tents and cold water at cattle markets.

Adding to the changing landscape of Eidul Azha shopping is the growing popularity of online livestock platforms. With temperatures rising and market conditions becoming increasingly uncomfortable, many families are opting to buy sacrificial animals online with home delivery services.

Dr. Aftab Ahmad, Director of Livestock and Dairy Development KP, acknowledged the growing shift toward digital purchasing but assured that authorities are monitoring animal health closely.

“Lumpy skin disease and heatstroke remain matters of concerns and the staff of Livestock Department were being deployed for spot medical treatment,” he said.

Dr Aftab clarified that there is currently no threat of an outbreak of any disease.

He said veterinary teams and Doctor of Veterinary Officers (DVMs) have been deployed at key cattle markets, while health checkpoints and fumigation measures are also in place to prevent the spread of disease.

According to Dr. Ahmad, nearly 70 percent of the animals sold in KP during Eidul Azha are brought from Punjab, highlighting the province’s dependence on inter-provincial livestock trade.

Yet many traders and buyers complained that poor market infrastructure continues to create hardships. The lack of shade, clean drinking water, and proper sanitation has made conditions difficult for both animals and visitors spending hours under the intense summer heat.

Recent torrential rains in several areas have further disrupted the transportation of local livestock to KP markets, tightening supply even more.

Many stakeholders have called for regional cooperation among Pakistan and neighboring states to regulate livestock movement and stabilize prices during the Eid season.

Despite the financial strain, millions of Pakistanis are still preparing to perform qurbani, one of the most important religious rituals of Eidul Azha in line of Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS).

According to KP Livestock Department more than six million animals were sacrificed across the country last year, generating an estimated Rs531 billion in economic activity.

Back at Lala Qala market, as the evening sun began to soften and traders continued negotiating with customers, buyers like Riaz Khan remained hopeful.

Like many families across Pakistan, he is waiting for the final days before Eid—hoping either for a sudden drop in prices or a small miracle that will allow him to fulfill the cherished religious tradition without breaking his household budget.