Shortage of Professional Butchers Ahead of Eid al-Adha, Citizens Concerned Over High Fees

Islamabad, June 5, 2025: As Eid al-Adha approaches, finding professional butchers to perform animal sacrifices has become a major challenge for citizens. This year, the rates for slaughtering animals have risen by 30 to 50 percent, with professional butchers charging between 20,000 to 30,000 Pakistani rupees for larger animals.
Babu Qureshi, a professional butcher from Liaquatabad, explained that slaughtering fees vary by region, with rates determined based on the weight of the animal. He added that bookings for the services of professional butchers had closed three days prior to Eid. On the first day of Eid, the rates for slaughtering larger animals range from 20,000 to 30,000 rupees, with the following days seeing a reduction in fees—18,000 rupees on the second day and 15,000 rupees on the third.
Qureshi further noted that professional butchers had moved away from offering individual services, opting instead to book group slaughtering sessions within neighborhoods. Last year, the fees for larger animals ranged from 15,000 to 25,000 rupees. The rates for smaller animals like goats and sheep this year are between 8,000 to 15,000 rupees, with discounts of 30 to 50 percent for slaughtering on the second and third days.
The shortage of professional butchers has led to an increase in the number of seasonal butchers during Eid. These seasonal butchers, who work for three days during Eid, charge 30 to 50 percent less than professional butchers. They typically work in middle-income areas and tend to form groups to maximize their earnings.