The butchers in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have announced their rates for Eid-ul-Azha.
Rates for slaughtering and meat processing have been fixed separately for each of the three days of Eid.
On the first day, butchers are charging up to Rs25,000 for the slaughter and preparation of large animals meat such as cattle, while the rate for goats and sheep has been set at Rs12,000.
On the second day of Eid, charges for large animals have been fixed at Rs23,000 and Rs10,000 for small animals.
By the third day, rates fall further to Rs20,000 for cattle and Rs9,000 for goats and sheep.
Professional butchers have become one of the most sought-after services ahead of Eid-ul-Azha in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with bookings for the first day of the festival reportedly reaching capacity as families prepare for animal sacrifices.
According to local market sources, butcher shops across the twin cities have temporarily suspended routine operations and are expected to reopen in early July, allowing workers to focus exclusively on Eid-related slaughtering and meat preparation services.
To meet the seasonal surge in demand, butchers from rural areas of Rawalpindi, as well as parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Hazara, Haripur, Abbottabad and Azad Kashmir, have arrived in Islamabad and Rawalpindi with their equipment and teams.
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Authorities have announced the official qurbani service charges for Eid-ul-Azha, detailing the slaughter rates for sacrificial animals during the Eid holidays.
According to the Empress Market Meat Merchants Association, the slaughtering fee for a cow or heifer on the first day of Eid has been fixed between Rs18,000 and Rs20,000.
The association stated that the slaughter charge for goats has been set at Rs4,000, while camel slaughter services will cost between Rs40,000 and Rs50,000.
Officials added that qasai rates are expected to decline by nearly 30 per cent on the second and third days of Eid due to lower demand.
For larger sacrificial animals weighing around two to two-and-a-half maunds, slaughter charges are likely to range from Rs14,000 to Rs18,000.
Similarly, the cost of slaughtering goats weighing about 20 kilograms may vary between Rs5,000 and Rs10,000.
Sources said demand for butchers usually surges during Eid days because of advance bookings and limited time availability, resulting in higher service charges. In some areas, additional fees are also being charged for cleanliness and safe slaughter arrangements.
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