After weeks of work, Pakistan’s rare woman cattle trader celebrates Eid with food, family holiday

A woman cattle trader Sidra Khan speaks to customers in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2022. (AN Photo)
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Updated 11 July 2022
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After weeks of work, Pakistan’s rare woman cattle trader celebrates Eid with food, family holiday

  • Sidra Khan is one of two women among over 40,000 traders selling sacrificial animals at Karachi Cattle Market this year
  • Has run successful meat business for four years, on Eid third day Khan will leave on vacation with kids and “switch off phone”

KARACHI: Sidra Khan spent the days of Eid Al-Adha this year like millions of other Pakistani women: cooking up a storm of traditional holiday dishes for her immediate family and larger community.

But her work in the kitchen has not kept Khan tethered only to household responsibility, and out of the workforce. Until very late on Saturday night, the eve of Eid, she was one of only two women among over 40,000 traders selling sacrificial animals at the Karachi Cattle Market.

Every year, Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi hosts the country’s largest livestock fair, spread over 2,000 acres of land, with 425,000 animals for sale.

Khan, 37, was a rarity among the thousands of male traders this year.

Having hovered around 10 percent for over 20 years, female labor force participation in urban Pakistan is among the lowest in the world, according to the World Bank.

To combat this, Khan had special message for other women ahead of the Eid holiday.

“Don’t spend your whole time shopping for Eid only or at home,” she told Arab News, advising women to put their savings to good use during the Eid Al-Adha season by investing in sacrificial animals and selling them through an experienced trader.

“If you sell two animals a season, it can cover your shopping expenses,” she said, smiling. “Ladies should come forward, do it, even if at a small scale.”




A woman cattle trader Sidra Khan speaks to Arab News in Karachi, Pakistan, on July 4, 2022. (AN Photo)

After graduating from Karachi University in 2012, Khan landed a job with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as a member of the cabin crew. She worked there for six years but quit in 2018 after getting married, as many Pakistani women do, when her husband told her she didn’t need to earn a living.

“Then I thought: I should do my own business,” Khan said.

Trading in cattle proved to be a natural choice for Khan, since her maternal grandfather had a business slaughtering cattle in Swabi city in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. 

“This is in [my] blood,” Khan said.

Despite that, however, the cattle business was gruelling, Khan said, who has to regularly visit cattle markets in southern Punjab’s Multan and Bahawalpur cities and in Mirpurkhas and Dadu in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, for procurement purposes. The searing heat, especially during summers, and the male-dominated environments are a challenge but the trader said she tried to keep her focus solely on work.

“You cannot do work by becoming a shameplant,” she said with a laugh, referring to a plant famous for its sensitivity to touch, its leaves folding inward and drooping when touched or shaken.

In four years, Khan has managed to set up a successful cattle business, leading a team of 15 men in the purchase, marketing and trading departments. 

This is the first year, however, that she set up a stall at the Karachi livestock market, where Khan described being mocked by her male colleagues and having to face a range of other issues as a woman seller.

“But I don’t get annoyed,” she said. “I explain it to them, I make them understand that there is nothing that ladies cannot do. I can do this. I have the courage.”

Khan said she was also a better planner and supervisor than many of her male colleagues.

“I think I am doing it better than the men,” Khan said with a glint in her eye, saying that she been trading cattle round the year, providing them to slaughterhouses, offices and seminaries, and facilitating families who lived abroad.

“Those who are out of the country, they trust in us from abroad, and on their behalf we have to sacrifice the animals and distribute among the poor in a proper way,” the trader explained. “And then we provide NGOs and seminaries with sacrificial animals also in large quantities.”

In the future, Khan said she wanted to open her own slaughterhouse but her biggest goal was to bring more women into the cattle business. 

“I want to bring women to this field so, I was thinking of designing some classes,” she said.

“It is a good field and I’m available for any help [for other women], may it be in the form of sharing an experience or teaching them,” she said. “No matter what perspective you look from, women are not inferior in anything and to anyone. If they want to do something, they can achieve a lot.”

Managing her business efficiently was doubly important for Khan, she said, as she needed to save time for her children. Her husband passed away last year from the coronavirus. 

“When I have free time, the entire time belongs to the children, to my home,” she said. “On the third day of Eid [Tuesday], I will leave for a vacation with my kids for a week or ten days and switch off my phone.”


Pakistan forms task force against Islamabad protesters as Imran Khan’s party seeks action against ministers

Updated 29 November 2024
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Pakistan forms task force against Islamabad protesters as Imran Khan’s party seeks action against ministers

  • Task force will be headed by the interior minister and will identify those who ‘spread violence’ in the capital
  • PTI’s information secretary shares 12 names, saying the party has evidence they were killed in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday formed a task force to identify and prosecute individuals involved in last week’s protest in Islamabad, as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed 12 supporters were killed in clashes and demanded police cases against top government ministers.
The PTI protest began on November 24 as the party supporters demanded the release of jailed leader, former premier Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated for over a year.
The government had warned against demonstrations in the federal capital, but protesters gathered in defiance, resulting in a crackdown against them. While PTI accuses the government of using live ammunition to kill and seriously injure demonstrators, officials claim PTI activists fired on security forces, killing five personnel.
The task force, headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, was announced as Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting, with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir in attendance, in Islamabad.
“The task force will ensure those responsible for spreading chaos and violence on November 24 are identified and brought to justice in accordance with the law,” the PM Office said in the statement.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram, speaking at a news conference in Peshawar, alleged that the government had indiscriminately targeted protesters, sharing names of 12 individuals the party said were killed.
He said videos and evidence from the protest site near the parliament building in Islamabad corroborated the party claims, adding that the actual death toll could be higher as many were missing or critically injured.
“We strongly demand police complaints be lodged against the prime minister, the interior minister and information minister,” he said. “Without this, public unrest will continue to grow.”
“We urge the judiciary to step forward and ensure these killers are brought to justice,” he added.
The government has also announced plans to create a federal riot control force, saying it would be equipped with international-standard resources and skills to prevent such protests in the future.


Pakistan, China hold joint military drill amid Beijing’s concerns over attacks on nationals

Updated 29 November 2024
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Pakistan, China hold joint military drill amid Beijing’s concerns over attacks on nationals

  • Warrior VIII, which began on November 19, aims to bolster counterterrorism capabilities
  • Pakistan’s army chief interacted with the participants of the exercise and praised their morale

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Friday visited the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) in Pabbi, located in the Gujrat division of Punjab province, to observe a joint counterterrorism exercise between the Pakistan Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, said an official statement.
The three-week “Warrior VIII” exercise, which began on November 19, is the eighth iteration of bilateral training aimed at bolstering counterterrorism capabilities and enhancing military cooperation.
The exercise comes as China’s security concerns in Pakistan have grown following a spate of attacks targeting Chinese nationals working on dozens of lucrative projects in the country.
“The COAS was briefed on the scope and conduct of the exercise,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said. “He also interacted with the participants of the exercise.”
Thousands of Chinese nationals have been working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for nearly a decade, with several of them being targeted by different militant groups operating in Pakistan.
Earlier this year, in March, a suicide bomber attacked a convoy near Besham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five Chinese engineers. A few months later, in October, a bombing near Karachi airport targeted Chinese workers ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Islamabad.
Beijing has voiced concerns over the safety of its citizens working in Pakistan and has reportedly proposed a joint security mechanism.
However, the foreign office said this month the two countries have a “robust dialogue and cooperation” on a range of issues, including counterterrorism and the security of Chinese nationals in the country.
It also expressed the government’s resolve to work with Chinese authorities to ensure the safety and security of their nationals, as well as their projects and investments.
According to Voice of America, Warrior VIII is the first joint counterterrorism exercise between the two countries in five years.
The ISPR said General Munir also praised the professionalism and high morale of the officers and soldiers participating in the joint military exercise.


European aviation safety agency lifts Pakistan airline ban — minister

Updated 29 November 2024
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European aviation safety agency lifts Pakistan airline ban — minister

  • The development will revive PIA’s flights to Europe, strengthen the government’s privatization drive
  • Pakistan’s Airblue has secured Third Country Operator authorization to fly to European destinations

KARACHI: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights after a span of four years, Defense and Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced Friday, commending all the relevant officials who made the breakthrough possible.
The ban on PIA flights was imposed in 2020 after a crash in Karachi killed 97 people, followed by a former Pakistani aviation minister’s statement claiming that nearly 40 percent of local pilots held “dubious” licenses.
This statement raised global concerns about safety oversight, leading to the grounding of PIA’s European operations.
The suspension added to PIA’s financial troubles, as the debt-ridden national carrier continued to incur losses amid its struggle to recover from a tarnished reputation. The government also faced difficulties privatizing the airline, a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during recent loan negotiations, due to its precarious financial situation.
“It is a momentous day to announce that the European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted the suspension on PIA flights to Europe,” the aviation minister wrote in a social media post.

He also announced that the decision granted Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization to another Pakistani airline, Airblue, marking a significant development for the aviation sector.
TCO authorization granted by EASA allows non-European airlines to operate commercial flights into, within or out of European Union airspace.
Airblue, Pakistan’s second-largest airline, operates domestic and regional routes and is expected to explore European operations following the TCO authorization.
Responding to the development, PIA lauded the lifting of the ban as a testament to its adherence to international safety standards.
“This milestone ensures that the entire nation can once again travel directly to European destinations with their national airline,” the airline said in a statement, adding it had worked tirelessly over the past four years to meet EASA’s safety requirements.

“The PIA administration will remain fully compliant with EASA and its rules and regulations,” it added.
Asif credited the lifting of the suspension to reforms in Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), which he said were aimed at aligning the regulator with international standards.
“I am grateful to the European Commission and EASA for conducting a transparent process and our commitment to ensuring aviation safety in Pakistan,” he said in the social media message.
The development is expected to help revive PIA’s European operations and strengthen the government’s privatization efforts by improving the airline’s appeal to potential investors.


Pakistan receives 38,000 Hajj applications in 10 days

Updated 29 November 2024
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Pakistan receives 38,000 Hajj applications in 10 days

  • Total number of applications received so far is 11,000 more than during the corresponding period last year
  • Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210, evenly split between the government and private tour operators

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Friday that 38,000 Hajj applications had been received in the first 10 days of the submission period, 11,000 more than during the same period last year.
The surge comes as Pakistan prepares to send 179,210 pilgrims for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in 2025, under a quota evenly divided between government and private Hajj schemes.
“By the tenth day, 38,000 Hajj applications have been received,” a ministry said in a statement, adding that designated banks would continue accepting applications over the weekend. The final deadline for submissions is Dec. 3.
Pilgrims under the regular Hajj scheme can secure their booking with an initial payment of Rs200,000 ($719), according to the statement.
Pakistan has steadily improved facilities for pilgrims in recent years.
One key initiative is the Makkah Route Initiative, which streamlines immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete formalities at their departure airports.
Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of travelers.
Efforts have also included the launch of a mobile application, Pak Hajj 2025, to provide pilgrims with essential updates, flight details and navigation assistance in Saudi Arabia.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, attracts millions of Muslims annually to Makkah, with Pakistan consistently being among the largest contributors of pilgrims.


ICC talks continue on fate of Pakistan Champions Trophy

Updated 29 November 2024
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ICC talks continue on fate of Pakistan Champions Trophy

  • Event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since India declined to visit Pakistan
  • ICC meeting adjourned without a decision but will reconvene ‘in the next few days’

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) said talks were continuing to settle uncertainty around next year’s Champions Trophy, sources told AFP, after India refused to travel to host nation Pakistan.
The event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since earlier this month, when the ICC said India had declined to visit Pakistan for the eight-team tournament.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
A meeting by the Dubai-headquartered ICC was held briefly on Friday but adjourned without a decision, according to several sources with knowledge of the talks who were not authorized to speak to media.
“All parties continue to work toward a positive resolution,” said one source, adding that “it is expected that the board will reconvene in the next few days.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board has previously ruled out proposals allowing India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.
Another source said the “Pakistani stance remains the same” following Friday’s brief meeting.