Eid-ul-Azha is not only one of the most important religious festivals in Pakistan, but also one of the country’s largest informal economic events. Every year, the festival generates massive financial activity across different sectors within just three days.
According to estimates, Eid-ul-Azha creates economic activity ranging from Rs540 billion to Rs750 billion nationwide. The festival brings together religion, tradition, trade, and employment on a huge scale.
Experts estimate that around 7.4 million animals are sacrificed across Pakistan during the three days of Eid-ul-Azha. These include cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and camels.
The large number of sacrificial animals creates business opportunities for livestock farmers, cattle traders, transporters, fodder suppliers, butchers, leather dealers, and exporters. Markets across the country remain crowded for days before Eid as buyers search for animals for Qurbani.
Reports suggest that around Rs620 billion circulates in markets before Eid, with most transactions taking place in cash. Overall spending linked to animal buying, selling, transport, and sacrifice activities is estimated at around Rs641 billion during Eid-ul-Azha.
Karachi records one of the highest shares of this economic activity. According to estimates, transactions worth nearly Rs185 billion take place in Karachi alone during the Eid season. The city’s large cattle markets attract buyers and traders from different parts of the country.
Eid-ul-Azha also creates Pakistan’s biggest private informal food distribution system. During the festival, nearly 532,000 to 550,000 tons of meat are distributed among families, relatives, neighbors, and deserving people.
A major portion of the meat reaches low-income households, making the festival an important source of food support for many families.
One of the most significant economic impacts of Eid-ul-Azha is the movement of money from urban areas to rural regions. Experts estimate that more than Rs400 billion shifts from cities to villages during the Eid period.
This transfer benefits livestock farmers and rural communities who spend months raising animals for sale during Eid. For many families in villages, Eid livestock sales become a major source of annual income.
The Eid season also creates temporary employment opportunities. Butchers earn thousands of rupees per animal, while transporters, loaders, and daily wage workers also benefit from increased demand.
Pakistan’s leather industry receives large quantities of raw material from sacrificial animal hides. Export-related industries linked to leather products also benefit from the seasonal supply chain.
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Experts say more than half a trillion rupees are spent within just 72 hours during Eid-ul-Azha. The scale of this spending is equal to nearly 60 percent of Pakistan’s federal Public Sector Development Programme, showing the enormous economic importance of the festival.
