Cattle market established at the site of Karachi Urban Forest project

KARACHI: A cattle market has been established at the locality of the Karachi Urban Forest project alongside Lyari Expressway, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

One of the major forestry projects is at risk in Karachi as a cattle market has been established at the site of the Karachi Urban Forest project in Lyari Expressway.

The first phase of the Karachi Urban Forest project had been inaugurated by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in February last year. Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Murtaza Wahab and others had also attended the inaugural ceremony.

According to the Sindh government’s announcement, Karachi’s urban forest will be planted along both sides of the Lyari Expressway, which begins from Mauripur road to conclude at Sohrab Goth.

10,000 saplings of Chikoo (Sapota or Sapodilla plum), Neem, Sheesham, Sumbal and Babul (acacia) will be planted along Lyari river during the first phase of the urban forest, it added.

Preparations have been started across Karachi for establishing the sacrificial cattle market in different localities including Karachi’s Super Highway in full compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19 ahead of Eidul Azha.

Last year, the Sindh government had decided against establishing cattle markets in the province for the purchase of sacrificial animals prior to the occasion of the Eidul Azha festival in 2020 due to rising COVID-19 cases.

However, the provincial government had withdrawn its decision later by allowing the establishment of cattle markets across the province.

According to proposed SOPs devised last year, the government had ordered to establish cattle markets two to five kilometres outside city limits besides banning the entry of elderly and children.

Mobile teams had also been deployed at the cattle markets to conduct coronavirus tests of buyers and traders visiting the markets for purchasing sacrificial animals.