While the whole Muslim world waits for the holy month of Ramazan to fast during the month, pray, worship to get pardoned for their misdeeds and to glorify 'Allah' as much as we can, in Pakistan, we eagerly wait for the advent of this blessed month to hoard eatables and other essential commodities of daily use.
The prices of food grains, pulses, fruits like dates rocket. The prices of beef, mutton, poultry birds, fish, dairy products, bakery items are not kept pegged at the pre-Ramazan levels, but they are doubled even trebled which makes them beyond the reach of the poor people who are fast-ing and observing the dictates of the holy month.
We perform 'Umrahs' and aspire to spend as much time as we can at Mekkah and Medinah for divine reward. A friend of mine who has returned home after some 25 years in Saudi Arabia, tells me that as the holy month of Ramazan arrives there, the entire nation including the expatriates start making preparations to welcome it.
The traders in general cut their margin of profits, reduce prices, and offer more than 50% discount the sale of eatables.
Resourceful people offer truck-loads of free food, fruit-juices and mineral water at "Mekkah and Medinah" near all the mosques in general and at the 'Harem Sharif' in particular, whether the local or the expatriates benefit from their hospitality.
People offering 'langars' (free food) do not disclose their names and say that this is a gift from 'Allah' to keep their noble deeds between themselves and 'Allah' to win His glory. But such noble feelings are not harboured or reflected in Pakistan during the holy month of Ramazan.
Whether it is a big or small trader, he eagerly awaits Ramazan to reap worldly gains no matter, whether they are fasting, praying all 5 times including 'tarahvies' reciting the holy 'Quran' and offering 'Zakats' and other charities.
On the one hand, they pray to 'Allah' to seek His forgiveness for their mistakes and sins. On the other hand, they continue their misdeeds, considering their acts of fasting/worship and 'black-marketing' as two separate things.
The pre-organised black-marketing tendency during each 'Ramazan' is observed every year as a routine feature, which the agencies have failed to control. Even the religious institutions and Friday sermons have not succeeded in curb-ing this menace.
The concerned authorities are not confined to focus on the mere display of the 'Price Control List' of certain foods at markets, which too are flagrantly violated by the culprits with impunity.
All the wholesalers and retailers justify their black-marketing by shifting the responsibility on each other, leaving no clue to its real origin. It is due to a lack of 'jazba' and love for religion that makes us do wrong things all the time.
Can we emulate our Saudi brethren and set an example of ourselves in the Muslim world of sincere observance of the holy month of Ramazan? No one can help us unless we ourselves realise the sanctity of Ramazan and try to observe it like our Saudi breth-ren. What can the President or the Prime Minister of the country do, if we as individuals do not respond to the call of holy month? What is needed is fear of God, love of religion, sincerity and sacrifice in our lives.