https://arab.news/crujk
- Some American Brahman bulls weigh 1,400 kilograms and stand nearly seven feet tall
- Breeders say wealthy buyers spend millions on rare Fateh Jangi, imported cattle breeds for Eid sacrifice
ISLAMABAD: Towering nearly seven feet tall and weighing around 1,400 kilograms, one of the largest bulls at one Islamabad cattle market has become an attraction in its own right this Eid Al-Adha, drawing crowds of visitors who stop to photograph it, inspect its size and ask about its price.
The massive American Brahman bull named Ghulam Mustafa, or the ‘Servant of the Prophet’ (pbuh), is among dozens of rare and premium animals displayed at an elite section of the Pakistani capital’s largest cattle market, the VIP Cattle Market, in the I-12 sector. Here, wealthy buyers spend millions of rupees each year on sacrificial animals during one of Islam’s most important religious festivals.
The holiday has also evolved into one of the country’s largest seasonal livestock economies, with breeders spending years raising prized animals that become symbols not only of religious devotion but also status, prestige and personal passion.
At the high-end “VIP” cattle section, traders market rare breeds through a mix of exclusivity, storytelling and spectacle.
“This is the VIP elite market of the Fateh Jang bull breed,” Sheikh Wahab, president of the Cattle Association in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“I started this alone around 20 years ago. The animal that you see here we raise and bring here every year.”
Named after the Fateh Jang region in Punjab province’s Pothohar belt, the large white “Fateh Jangi” bulls are prized for their size, muscular build and appearance. Breeders say buyers often return year after year, with reputation carrying almost as much value as pedigree.
“Basically, the market I am targeting is elite class,” cattle breeder Muhammad Farrukh Shahid said.
“This year we have changed our routine and sold our animals for a minimum of Rs400,000 ($1,436). If you go on the higher side, then it is like ‘sky is the limit.’”
“[Pakistani cricketer] Haris Rauf has bought an animal from us,” he added. “A lot of government officials have also bought from us.”
Shahid said he hoped eventually to promote and export Pakistan’s local breeds internationally.
“Basically, I am promoting Pakistan’s local breed,” he said. “I claim that our local breed of Fateh Jang, ‘Dhanni,’ it tastes even better than ‘Angus,’” he added, referring to a breed from Scotland globally associated with premium beef production.
Beyond the business and spectacle, many breeders describe deep emotional attachments to animals they raise over several years.
“This is my hobby,” said farm owner Farhan Rashid. “I have raised them like my kids at home. Out of four animals, I sell two and dedicate two for Eid Al-Adha sacrifice.”
“This is an American Brahman,” he added while pointing proudly toward one of his bulls. “I feed it first and then feed my children.”
The American Brahman breed, known globally for its distinctive hump, loose skin and heat tolerance, remains one of the market’s biggest attractions.
“Its specialty is, it is from the Brahman breed,” customer Rahat Khan said. “And it has a huge build.”
“They fetch good prices but they are very less in numbers,” he added. “This is the biggest bull of this cattle market at the moment.”
Even as Pakistan faces economic pressures and inflation that have squeezed household budgets this year, traders at the elite market say wealthy buyers continue to spend heavily on premium sacrificial animals, particularly those considered rare or prestigious.
For many participants, however, the market represents more than commerce.
“Let your sacrifice come from the heart and not be forced,” Rashid said.