By Moin Ullah Shah
KARACHI: A digital transaction system has been introduced at the cattle market set up on the Northern Bypass, with Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi inaugurating the initiative.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Additional IG Karachi Azad Khan, market organisers, and senior officials of the State Bank of Pakistan and various commercial banks.
Speaking on the occasion, the commissioner said that for the first time in history, a system of payment and receipt through cash deposit machines had been introduced at the cattle market.
He said the digital system would ensure secure financial transactions during the buying and selling of sacrificial animals and help eliminate complaints of fraud that had previously been reported in such trade.
Officials briefed the commissioner that cattle markets had been established across all districts of Karachi in coordination with town municipal administrations, KMC and cantonment boards to facilitate citizens.
They said special security arrangements had been made, with police and Rangers deployed on routes leading to the Northern Bypass market to ensure the safe movement of animals and visitors.
According to the briefing, the Northern Bypass cattle market has been developed under comprehensive planning, with parking facilities, designated sheds for animals based on category and quality, and arrangements for water and fodder for both animals and owners.
The office of the commissioner said the facility is considered one of the largest cattle markets in Asia, where cows, goats and camels are available for sale.
It added that the cash deposit machine system, introduced with the support of the State Bank and seven banks, is part of the government’s Cashless Pakistan initiative aimed at promoting digital transactions and reducing reliance on cash-based payments.
