If I could wish a wish I would wish for Eid all year long!

The idea, we must always embrace, is that a nation is from its people, the people pave the way for its future.

With the last few days of Ramazan followed by Eid festivities, it is not unjustified to say that a period of celebration is fast approaching us Pakistanis.

Thank God!

The highlight of these celebrations is nonetheless the buzz that one gets to experience right before Eid.



The moment you step foot into the tiny lanes of Gizri market, or the famous Ashiana, you can sense the excitement when a swarm of aunties are seen, making the lives of their 'bechara darzis' (poor tailors) miserable.



Designer catalogues in hand, ladies of all shapes and sizes, stand deciding their ‘trendy sa Eid ka jora’ (Eid clothes) to match their branded bag and imported 'jooti' (shoes) ─ bless Nine West and Charles & Keith.

Occasionally, you end up bumping into your friends and relatives at some mall or kaprey walla (cloth vendor), so everyone is well dressed, at times a little too much for a simple day out at the shops.



Pardon me for forgetting to give the men their due share of credit. Men seem not to be so far from women when it comes to crowding up a shopping arcade─whether they have preparations at hand or not, you will mostly definitely find tons of them crowding the narrow lanes of Zamzama─for obvious reasons.

While being in London, what I miss the most is the hullabaloo and excitement Eid brings along each year. So no matter how claustrophobic I feel in these jam-packed markets, I would still choose to accompany my mom for her Eid shopping.



While some yearly norms remain the way they were in previous years, in the true spirit of giving and charity and the month of Ramazan, the more affluent lot has started playing a major role in supporting the poor. Earlier, a few hours before iftar, underprivileged people would gather near Abdullah Shah Ghazi's mazaar (shrine) where a small meal would be distributed amongst the crowd for iftar.



But it is not just shrines and mosques that have taken responsibility for these people any more, it is the huge feast set outside the house on main Khayaban-e-Ittehad, the corner house on Sunset Boulevard, the little restaurants and delis on Submarine Chowk and many other little homes and cafes that have opened their windows to welcome the poor and needy.

 

It is indeed commendable that people choose to indulge in following the example of Hazrat Ali (AS), who would bring food and water to the needy each evening making sure that not a soul sleeps hungry within his caliphate.

A heart-warming experience, which many of us may have come across, is when you are stuck on the roads at iftar time. As busy and hungry other people may be, they will make sure that someone or the other offers you a date or something cold to drink to open your fast. Trust me when I say this, this only happens in Pakistan.

Witnessing such amazing aspects of our country, it pains me to hear about the frustration within Pakistan, whether it be in the form of target killings, marital violence, Hazara killings or the political unrest.

The idea,we must always embrace is that a nation is from its people, indeed the leaders guide its development, but the people pave the way for its future.

If we can come together to share the blessings of this holy month why not go beyond it and make it last all year round?

Let’s bleed green!

Follow Farwa on Twitter @faamer