Karachi: Women purchasing and selling cattle to sacrifice during Eid Al-Adha is a scene you hardly ever see in Pakistan.
However, in one market in Shadman Town of Karachi, a southern port city, women can go about their daily business without any difficulty or concern for a man's attention.
Pakistanis are swarming to cattle markets to purchase animals for slaughter as Eid approaches, participating in one of Islam's most beloved customs honouring Prophet Abraham's devotion to God.
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However, due to cultural restrictions in Pakistan, these establishments are frequently filled with men who are inspecting animals and haggling for the best deals. Rarely do we see women. Before now.
According to Ruqaiya Fareed, the market's organiser, "There has never been a market set up for women where women are selling animals."
A cattle market specifically for women has never been established before in the history of the world. It serves as a platform for women who lack a male counterpart, don't have brothers or fathers in the country, or are otherwise exempt from the sacrifice requirement.
"It is also for the women in villages who care for the animals throughout the year, but someone else gains from it. Additionally, their animals have been brought here.
According to Fareed, some of the vendors raised their animals in gardens or on rooftops, and another supported her husband's business.
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There are discounts to be had even though there are only 10 stalls in the market and the animals are from Punjab and Karachi.
Fareed, who runs a cattle farm in Punjab, the most populous province in the nation, claimed that his prices were competitive and that women received special discounts.
She claimed that when it came to providing security for the market, she had "complete support" from law enforcement officers, the police, and the paramilitary Rangers.
One of the vendors, Noor Jehan, claimed that in the first week following the opening of her stall, she sold four goats.
"I cherish animals. She told Arab News, "I feed goats all year and sell them on Eid Al-Adha.
Women are showing interest and visiting this place. They now enjoy a special discount from me.
She additionally exhorted other women to try their hand at trading animals.
There is a lot of profit for women who want to pursue this as a business opportunity, she said.
According to Ashi Kanwal of Arab News, she made her first market purchase of a cow at a "reasonable" price.
"I knew about it. Because his father didn't have the time, my son asked me to accompany him. So I went, looked, struck a deal, and bought it.
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Kanwal claimed that visiting the Shadman market was much simpler than visiting markets held elsewhere.
"We can't go alone when we go to Sohrab Goth or other cattle markets," she said, referring to Karachi's primary cattle market. "As women, it's not convenient.
But we feel at ease coming here. Both the ambiance and the provisions for food and beverages are excellent. I might go again the following year