Fresh and healthy camel milk sells by the roadside.

Byline: Shazia Hasan

KARACHI -- Every day from 7am to 6pm, Mangi Baloch and her sisters are present on one side of Korangi Creek Road with their camels Razia, Saima, Aqsa and the latter's calf Shahzada. They sell camel milk to passersby.

'Camel milk has so many qualities and benefits. It is good for people suffering from so many ailments and conditions such as tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, stomach ulcers, gastroenteritis, allergies, infections, etc,' Mangi tells customers, adding that camel milk is known to be a cure for some 70 ailments.

A customer has asked for a litre of the milk. Mangi, the most talkative of the three sisters, informs him that she charges Rs200 per litre. On getting a nod she picks up her silver bucket to milk one of their camels, named Razia.

'It is slightly salty in taste but is tolerated well even by people who may otherwise be lactose intolerant'

'This is fresh, raw milk. Camel milk is best if you drink it fresh. It is slightly salty in taste but is tolerated well even by people who may otherwise be lactose intolerant,' she says.

'Both Razia and Saima's calves died recently, one after the other. But they still have plenty of milk, which we sell. The money we make is used for the care and feeding of our camels too, besides supplementing our own family income,' she shares.

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