Uncontrolled price hike of the basic commodities and squeezing purchasing power of general public has badly affected the humanitarian activities such as roadside Iftar dastarkhwans for deserving people in Ramazan. Karachiites see relatively reduced roadside Iftar arrangements this year in this port city.
Iftar stalls of small sizes that are set up in various parts of the city shows the negative impacts of dearness on philanthropists also. In spite of high prices in the past, Karachiites always help others munificently. They always stood together with the affected people of natural calamities in Pakistan.
Their enthusiasm reaches to its peak especially in the month of Ramazan when they demonstrate their kindness to the needy people.
For many years, people of Karachi used to arrange roadside iftars, dastarkhwans/stalls voluntarily for travellers and needy people throughout Ramazan and that became their tradition.
People belonging to different strata of society set up free iftar stalls on the roadside to facilitate hundreds of passers-by without any discrimination of caste and ideology. Even ever-rising cost of living, couldn't force Karachiites to refrain from hospitality. Residents of posh areas also set up Iftar camps outside their residences and it can also been seen outside different mosques.
Even in some markets, shopkeepers collect money and food items from shops on a daily basis and hand them over to the committees responsible for setting up the street stalls before Iftar time.
People attach great importance to Ramazan because it is the most blessed month in Islamic calendar. For that reason, very large number of people either individually or collectively arranges Iftar beside roads for poor people and travellers to get extra blessings of Almightily Allah. Their iftar menu also includes: Jalebi, samosas, pakoras and namak para, fruits, dates, Sharbat and water.