ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Punjab province has banned the public burning and roasting of “siri paye,” the heads and feet of sacrificial animals traditionally cooked during Eid Al-Adha, citing health, sanitation and environmental concerns ahead of the annual Islamic festival, a statement said on Wednesday.
Eid Al-Adha, one of the most important Islamic holidays, involves the ritual slaughter of animals including cows, goats and camels. In Pakistan, the festival generates large amounts of animal waste and often leads to makeshift cattle markets and public disposal practices that authorities say can create sanitation, environmental and public safety challenges.
“Public burning of ‘siri paye’ (heads and feet) of sacrificial animals, swimming/bathing in rivers, lakes, dams and canals, throwing animal waste and entrails into manholes, drainage channels and canals, and sale/purchase of sacrificial animals outside notified cattle markets” have been prohibited across Punjab, the provincial home department’s order said.
The department also imposed restrictions on dumping animal waste into drains and canals, swimming in rivers and dams during Eid holidays, and the sale of sacrificial animals outside officially designated cattle markets.
The Punjab Home Department said such activities “are not only injurious to public health and safety, but also cause nuisance and resentment among the general public.”
The order said the restrictions were imposed to protect human life, maintain public peace and improve environmental conditions during Eid holidays.
Punjab authorities also barred banned organizations from collecting sacrificial animal hides, which Pakistani authorities have long viewed as a potential fundraising source for militant or proscribed groups.
“Only organizations registered with the Punjab Charity Commission will be permitted to collect sacrificial animal hides,” a Punjab Home Department spokesperson said in a separate statement.
The provincial government directed district administrations and law enforcement agencies to ensure implementation of the restrictions across Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province.
The official order also cited safety concerns linked to people swimming in canals, rivers and lakes during Eid holidays, saying such activities could endanger lives.
The measures, imposed under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which relates to the maintenance of public order, will remain in force across Punjab from May 27 to June 2.
