Karachiites begin night shopping for Eidul Fitr, as peace in the city during the holy month of Ramazan remains continues largely unthreatened, while traders also expanded their businesses to capitalise on the placid situation. Traders enjoy the growing businesses opportunities in the city after buyers began visiting to markets at the start of second-session of the holy month. Traders estimate at least Rs 4 billion of Eid sales in Ramazan.
Talking to Business Recorder, Chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI), Atiq Mir said the small traders have increased their set-ups after receiving a huge response from buyers during the month. He said the vendors have also increased the number of stalls and pushcart nearly three-time to sell Eid products. He said traders in peacetime invest at least Rs 70 billion to expand businesses for Eid sales.
He said if the government helped supply electricity to markets without any intermission then the Eid sales could grow over Rs 50 billion this year. He said sales in the last Ramazan had been poor because of violence and target killings in the city. However, Atiq Mir termed the security arrangements at shopping centres "unsatisfactory" and demanded of the law enforcing agencies to keep a vigilant eye on the activities of police officials deployed at markets. "I visited a number of markets to see the situation there but I found security arrangements there unsatisfactory," he said, adding that the concerned authorities should take a notice of the situation and facilitate the people for Eid buying.
He said the Eid shopping is growing in different markets including Clifton, Old City Area, Jubilee Cloth Market, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Haideri Market, Saddar, Defence, Tariq Road and other areas. He hoped night shopping in other localities of the city will soon start. But, he showed dismay over the rising cases of extortions at markets by outlaws, saying this year at least three-fold increase in extortion has taken place comparing the last year cases.