With only a few days left in Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid shopping is picking up momentum in the provincial capital, as most of the shopping centres, markets and shops are thronged by shoppers particularly at night.
Apart from the regular shops, temporary stalls have surfaced in front of a number of markets and shopping centres, where bangles, jewellery, and embroidered stitch and non-stitched clothes are being sold. Similar stalls are offering discounts on shoes, clothes and other consumer items.
Most of the markets and shopping malls including Panorama, Anarkali Bazaar, Shadman market, Gulberg, Defence have been illuminated with colourful lights and decorated artistically to attract customers.
To ensure protection of people, policemen in uniform and plain clothes have been deployed at important business centres and markets which are working till late night these days. Traffic police are also seen active around various shopping centres to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Shopkeepers at various markets of Liberty, Fortress, Anarkali, Neela Gumbad, Allama Iqbal Town, Garden Town, Ichhra, Shah Aalmi Market, Panorama Centre, Pace and Moon Market said business was picking pace in the night. Heavy rush of traffic was seen at Anarkali, The Mall and Liberty market.
According to a survey, items of interest to women like short kameez, knit wears, knitted garments and imitation ornaments have been put on sale as Eid special offers. But customers are not happy because of the high prices of various items. Similarly, the prices of children and teenagers' clothes and shoes are also high enough as compared to last year. City markets and shopping stores are also stuffed with famous brands of cosmetics.
Mohammad Javed Khan, who is running a shoe store at The Mall, said people were visiting the market in a large number. Nadeem Ahmad, a shopkeeper at Mozang, who has set up a bangles stall, said although his stall had not received many customers, especially women, so far, he was hopeful in the last three days, maximum buyers will appear.
Moreover, an interesting trend has also developed among Lahorites who used to throng the markets and shopping centres in the night for Eid shopping. When evening falls, the shopping reaches its peak and it becomes very difficult to even walk in the main markets and bazaars.
In Pakistan women are considered to be best bargainers and are capable to buy things at cheaper rates compared to their male counterparts. So, it is preferred to assign Eid shopping to the womenfolk. The tailors are the busiest persons now a days and they have stopped booking for Eid.