Watch: Celebrations or animal cruelty? In Pakistan, cows are hoisted from rooftops
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Every year, a few cows and oxen are lowered to the ground by a crane from the rooftop of one of the narrow houses in the congested Nazimabad neighborhood of the sprawling metropolis of 16 million, to the delight of a curious and cheering crowd.
In Karachi, Pakistan, cows are hoisted by a crane from a building's roof in preparation for Eid al-Adha, also known as the "Feast of Sacrifice." The animals are kept on the rooftop for a year before honouring Eid al-Adha with their slaughter. Numerous spectators cheer when the hoist is raised each year throughout the streets.
Id al-Adha, also known as Bakrid or Id-ul-Zuha, marks the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared his son, Prophet Ismail.
In Pakistan, there have been numerous horrifying incidents when cows have perished after falling from cranes. A helpless cow fell to its death from a crane last year. In order to celebrate Eid, a crane was used to raise the cow.
According to animal rights groups, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1890) of Pakistan is out of date. Rescue workers claim that even though the government just made animal cruelty a crime, sanctions alone will not stop mistreatment.
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