Eid-ul-Fitr: price-hike makes shopping difficult for middle class

Eid-ul-Fitr has special significance in the life of every Muslim, which is celebrated by both rich and poor with great enthusiasm after fasting for one month. They specially save throughout the year to spend on this special occasion.
The skyrocketing inflation and price hike have made shopping difficult for low, middle and poor classes, whereas upper middle class is also feeling the pinch due to inflated prices. As Eid is celebrated after one year, this festival brings special demands by the children, which are to be fulfilled by head of the family.
Eidi distribution is one of the major rituals of this festival for which, new bank notes are in great demand, as long queues of people were witnessed on the state bank road. Some people have even hired persons on daily wages for getting these notes.
Usually State Bank distributes new currency notes in great number among the commercial banks, depending on the size of their clientele. Mainly, bank staffs' relatives and friends benefit from the notes while the general public has to go from pillar to post to satisfy their desire of having new currency notes for distribution among the kids and their loved ones.
The sweet vendors also wait for this auspicious occasion throughout the year and prepare different kinds of sweets in huge quantities. On 'Chand Raat', long queues of people can be seen at prominent sweet shops in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Taxi and Rikshaw drivers taking advantage of limited number of vehicles on the roads fleece the people in the name of Eidi. In brief, Eid-ul-Fitr which is the festival of thanksgiving after successful fasting is becoming more and more expensive with each passing year and now people have to take loans from their friends and relatives to make this function a bit pleasant for their families.
The inflation, particularly of food items has made the life of salaried class difficult as they are unable to make both ends meet with the minimum wage of Rs 6,000 per month. Low-grade office workers get a little more than this and do part time jobs in other private sector organisations to supplement the income of their families.