Pakistanis have spent over 4 billion U.S. dollars to buy animals for sacrificing on Islamic festival of Eid held on September 13-15, across the country.

The Eid became the biggest economic activity of the year in the country during which about 2,600,000 cows and bulls were purchased which cost a net amount of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars, Samaa News reported Wednesday.

People also spent approximate 1.153 billion dollars on the purchase of about 4 million goats.

From the cattle markets across the country, people bought about 800,000 lambs and 3000 camels for about 151 million dollars.

With the purchase comes in additional amount of expenditure on butchers for slaughtering the animals.

Pakistanis collectively spent about 690 million dollars on sacrificing cows and bulls, whereas the butchers charged a collective 225 million dollars for slaughtering lambs, goats and camels.

Furthermore, transporting the animals from the markets to the houses cost altogether 47 million dollars to people whereas food for the animals collectively cost 35 million dollars.

The report quoted local sources from the cattle markets across the country for compiling the figures.

Muslims slaughter animals, normally goats, sheep, cows and camels on the Eid al-Adha festival on the 10th day of the 12th month of Islamic calendar every year.

After slaughter, the meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three equal parts. The family keeps one third of the meat, another third is distributed among the relatives, friends and neighbors while the remaining third is given to the poor and needy.

Source : XINHUA