With only a few days left in Eid-ul-Fitr, people have started reaching markets, bazaars, business centers and shopping plazas to purchase different articles to celebrate Eid.
However, shopkeepers are of the view that this year due to devastating earthquake, they are expecting an overall drop of over 50-percent in their Eid sales. The business of Eid Cards, shoes and cosmetics has witnessed drastic decline so far.
Eid shopping usually pick up momentum after 15th Ramazan, but this time due to October 8 massive earthquake that hit northern parts of the country and Azad Kashmir, no hectic business activity was seen till 22nd Ramazan, said Mohammad Javed Khan, the owner of a shoe store on the Mall while talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday.
He expressed the hope that Eid shopping will gain further momentum from November first. He added that people are in a state of shock due to devastation caused by the recent earthquake, but they are coming for Eid shopping with grief-ridden hearts on the insistence of their children.
Long queues of vehicles have been seen on the Mall, Anarkali and other shopping places. However, rush is witnessed after Iftar. The shops, which have already been allowed by the district administration to work without the usual breaks, are working till late in the night.
Some of the shopkeepers have also decorated their shops with artificial lights. The moneyed class can be seen shopping at Liberty Market, Shadman Market, Ghalib Market, Defence, Fortress Stadium and Pace Center while mediocre are buying necessary articles from Anarkali Bazaar, The Mall, Panorama Shopping Center, Rang Mehal, Islampura Bazaar, Dharampura, Mughalpura Bazaar, Mozang, Baghbanpura and Ichhra.
Imran Aslam, who was engaged in Eid shopping along with his children at the Mall complained that prices of the commodities of daily use and occasional use such as clothes, jewellery and shoes are soaring.
Although, temporary stalls of bangles, Mehndi and the jewellery have been set up at different markets in the city, but no rush is seen there so far.
Nadeem Ahmad, a tailor said that he is already overburdened with work and is not accepting new orders. As a result, most of the people are obliged to buy readymade garments, the prices of, which are high as compared to previous year.
Eid-ul-Fitr is the most prestigious and most celebrated festival of the Islamic calendar on which Muslims wear new clothes and pray to pay gratitude to their Allah Almighty who blessed them with his kindness during the holy month of Ramazan.