This is apropos a letter to the Editor ‘Watermelon saves the day’ carried by the newspaper yesterday. It is true that prices of many essential items shot up not only during Ramazan but ahead of the arrival of this holy month.

Banana, for example, was not freely available. If it can be seen in any acceptable shape or size anywhere, its rates were found to be too high.

The same goes for the prices of most of the vegetables, meat, cooking oil, milk, naan, samosas, pakorays, chicken or vegetable rolls, sharbats.

In short, what and how one can freely purchase when inflation has soared to over 35 percent amid growing unemployment and underemployment caused by a woeful slowdown in economic activity? Fortunately, however, a vast majority of the faithful persevered with dignity.

Mosques were flocked by people in great numbers. Philanthropists’ organisations in the largest city of this country have worked much harder this year than any year in the recent past to arrange Iftar on streets and roads and reach out to the needy to provide them with rations and Eid gifts.

They deserve praise for continuing to show empathy to the socially and economically marginalized sections of society through their social welfare efforts.

There must be a large number of well-to-do people who have acted individually in the true spirit of giving or sharing. They too deserve commendation.

Needless to say, the outgoing month was truly ‘Ramazan Kareem’ for a variety of reasons in spite of social and economic hardships or upheavals around us. Be that as it may, Eid Mubarak to everyone.

Syed Athar Bukhari (Islamabad)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023