KMC cattle market tax draws complaints from Eid animal buyers in Karachi

KARACHI: Buyers of sacrificial animals in Karachi have complained about a municipal services tax being collected at cattle market exit points ahead of Eidul Azha, with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) facing criticism over the move.

KMC personnel have set up collection points at the exits of different cattle markets and are stopping vehicles carrying animals from leaving until the tax is paid. Buyers are being charged Rs300 for small animals and Rs600 for large animals.

A senior KMC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the collection as unjustified and said the civic body already receives Municipal Utility Charges and Tax (MUCT) through monthly electricity bills. The official said there was no basis for charging people again when a tax was already being recovered.

He also said KMC was not responsible for cleanliness work in the city, stating that this falls under the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, while MUCT is intended for development and upkeep of infrastructure. Referring to arrangements at cattle markets, he said the veterinary department was neither maintaining cleanliness nor vaccinating animals.

In his remarks, the official said:

"When a tax is already being recovered, there is no justification for charging it again"

He further added:

"The veterinary department is neither ensuring cleanliness at cattle markets nor carrying out vaccination of animals. It is unclear what service this tax is being charged for"

A KMC spokesperson defended the collection, saying the municipal services tax had been approved by the KMC council and was being imposed only at markets established by the corporation.

However, a survey by The Express Tribune found that the tax was also being collected at the Northern Bypass cattle market, which it said falls outside KMC’s jurisdiction.

Several buyers said they were compelled to pay before being allowed to leave. Faizan Khan said he was stopped by KMC staff after buying a cow from the Northern Bypass market. He said:

"We were issued a Rs600 slip and told we could not proceed unless we paid. We are already paying municipal taxes in our electricity bills - this is nothing but extortion"

Similar complaints were reported by Kashan Tariq at Bhains Colony and Muhammad Mazhar at Kamran Chowrangi cattle market, who were charged Rs600 and Rs300 respectively. Kashan Tariq said such a tax had not been imposed in previous years.

Describing the timing of the collection, he said:

"As soon as the moon of Zil Hajj was sighted, KMC officials took positions at market exits and began collecting the tax from every buyer"

People affected by the charges have called on the authorities to intervene and clarify the legal position of the tax, which many buyers say has added to their expenses just before Eid.