Eid-ul-Fitr shopping has started at a slow pace in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Many shopkeepers have set up stalls in the main markets including Super, Jinnah Super, Aabpara, Karachi Company, Commercial, Raja Bazaar and Saddar. People have started visiting markets and shopping centres to buy Eid dresses, shoes and cosmetics. The gathering of the people for shopping in the markets is increasing and sales are showing an upward trend.
From late morning to mid-night, footpaths, makeshift sale stalls and shopping malls, which have been intensely illuminated, have started receiving crowds of shoppers, mainly women.
Visits to some local shopping centres revealed that men, women and children from all walks have started pouring into the shopping malls to shop for Eid. Locals top fashion houses are ready with their Eid offerings for the customers. The shopping frenzy is expected to reach its peak in the first week of August as employees will also jump into the arena after receiving salaries.
"Buyers are not taking much interest in items displayed for them and they raise one objection or the other to reject them," said a shopkeeper at Aabpara market. He said "Ramazan started when salary class had spent more than half of money and they are perhaps waiting for the next salary to spent on Eid shopping.
He said that Eid shopping would take momentum in the last week of the holy month. "We are confident that shopping will pick up and we will earn handsome profit," he said. He said the pace of the shopping would increase in few days.