Roy Zia Ur Rahman
ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP): Every Sunday, the open ground near Sangam Khanna Pul along the Expressway comes alive, transforming into a bustling mix of marketplace and carnival, where families gather amid the chirping of birds and the curiosity of children.
There are no banners, no formal stalls, and no loud announcements. As Zuhr prayers conclude, the field slowly fills with life. Birds whistle from modest cages, roosters stand tall with quiet pride, and children move eagerly through the crowd, tugging at their parents’ sleeves.
Twelve-year-old Dawood Hassan and eight-year-old Shah Nawaz weave carefully through the gathering, their small hands firmly clasped around their uncle’s fingers. Their mission is simple yet deeply serious. Choosing birds for their home.
Around them, cages shimmer under the winter sun, each holding tiny worlds of colour and motion.
Not far away, two young sellers, siblings Azan and Umar, sit proudly beside a modest motorcycle-mounted cage. Inside, their African parrots shift restlessly, bright eyes scanning curious onlookers.
We raised them ourselves, Azan told APP. They laid eggs, and now we have more birds than space.
There is pride in his voice, but also a hint of sadness.
They are like family, Umar added.
This curious blend of business and emotion defines the Sunday gathering. For some, it is trade. For others, it is attachment, memory, and reluctant goodbyes.
Regular participant Farrukh Ahmad arrives each week with practiced ease.
I breed birds at home, he said. Sunday is good for sales. A little extra income helps.
His cages display African love birds priced from a few thousand rupees per pair down to more affordable options, attracting hobbyists and first-time buyers alike.
Yet birds are only part of the story.
Clusters of spectators gather around majestic desi roosters, their red crests glowing like polished velvet. The birds stand tall, feathers gleaming, projecting an unmistakable authority.
Luqman Shah, who hails from Bannu, gestures toward a particularly striking specimen.
The most admired breeds are Mianwali and Sindhi, he explained, listing names with ease. Mianwali, Sindhi, Mushka, Lakha, Chaina, Sawa, Aseel.
Prices fluctuate dramatically, ranging from modest sums to figures exceeding one hundred thousand rupees.
Strength, posture, feather quality, and sharp spurs determine value.
For many visitors, however, culinary interests outweigh competitive ones. Families browse for desi hens and roosters destined not for display but for traditional dishes. Slow-cooked yakhni, rich curries, comforting weekend meals.
Despite its lively atmosphere, the gathering occasionally brushes against legality.
Ahmad Khan Niazi from Mianwali noted that authorities sometimes disperse the crowd, particularly when illegal rooster fights are suspected.
Otherwise, the environment remains largely peaceful.
Bright yellow cockatiels tilt their crests inquisitively. Budgerigars flutter like living confetti. Ring-neck parrots observe the crowd with sharp eyes. Love birds sit quietly in colourful pairs.
Nearby, rabbits twitch their noses inside small enclosures, drawing smiles from children. A few fluffy, small-statured dogs, thick-coated and heavily furred, attract their own curious audience.
One particularly large duck commands both admiration and hesitation.
Eight-year-old Shah Nawaz steps back instinctively, eyes wide, before redirecting his attention toward something less intimidating. A pair of love birds.
They have beautiful eyes.
Around him, countless similar negotiations unfold. Children lobby passionately. Parents weigh budgets. Sellers bargain with practiced skill. Every cage becomes a conversation. Every purchase is a small family decision.
Some young participants treat the market as an opportunity.
College student Muhammad Saleh says bird sales help support his pocket money.
As afternoon light softens, transactions conclude, cages thin, and engines begin to hum. The ground slowly empties, leaving behind faint feathers, fading echoes, and the promise of another Sunday.
By next week, without announcement or ceremony, the wings, whistles, and weekend dreams will return once more.