Eid sacrifice worry in Pakistan over deadly virus

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – The sacrifice of animals and sharing of their meat is a key ritual for Muslims in this week's Eid ul-Adha celebrations but for many in Pakistan this year, the threat of a deadly animal-borne virus has meant new arrangements.

At least eight people have been killed in the last two weeks by Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and scores of others are being treated for it, making people wary about joining the rush at make-shift cattle farms that traditionally spring up in Karachi – Pakistan's most populous city.

“I am not going to buy the animal. I don’t want to take risk,” said Ebad-ur-Rehman, one of the many Karachi residents who has sought other methods of making the sacrifice instead of risking contact with the virus.

Most, including Ebad, have donated to charities to perform the sacrifice on their behalf while others, like Unas Aamir, simply decided they will not do the sacrifice themselves.

“I would usually bring goats home a week before Eid, as my children enjoyed taking care of them. This time, I will buy the animals on Eid day and take them directly to the butcher’s shop.” he said.

The government has issued warnings for citizens, and especially butchers, to wear protective gloves before touching the sacrificial animals and for farms and slaughterhouses to be disinfected.

According to Dr. Tariq Mahmood, a senior physician at Jinnah Medical College Hospital Karachi, the virus is an infectious disease transferred by ticks to both domestic animals and humans. It is similar to other viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Dengue and Ebola, and can fatally cause uncontrolled bleeding.

“People are really scared this year because of the Congo virus threat,” said Ghulam Hussain, an animal seller at the country’s largest cattle market on the northern outskirts of Karachi.

"We used to have a huge rush of people here but this year, so far, we have 30 to 40 percent fewer visitors,” he said, accusing the government of exaggerating the threat and causing unnecessary panic.

A financially-able Muslim sacrifices a single sheep or goat or takes shares with others in sacrificing a larger animal, like a camel or cow, as an act of worship during the feast. They then divide the meat for their own family, relatives and the poor.