If only everyday was Sunday

KARACHI: From Adidas shoes to secondhand books to bananas, there is a reason why Sunday Bazaar overcomes the famous ‘this side of the bridge or that side’ divide.

“Very rarely do we see people from Defence, Clifton and Keamari come together to shop at the same place [as they do at Sunday Bazaar],” said Imran Younus, who manages a stall in the Sunday Bazaar, “This is what makes Sunday Bazaar special.”

Despite the May temperatures that have Karachiites sweating within 30 seconds under the open sky, hundreds of people thronged Sunday Bazaar.

“We come here for shopping every month,” said Ilyas Ali, a resident of 26th street, who was standing at one of the many bookstalls in the market. While the books were the main attraction for Ilyas, his wife has her eyes on a lot more.

“You can buy cooking oil, vegetables, dresses for kids and decoration items here quite easily and at cheaper rates,” she said.

Groceries seemed to be the top choice for families while the younger generation is more interested in secondhand imported shoes, shirts and jeans.

“Prices of shoes depend on the brand and their present state,” said Irfan Khan, who manages one of the shoe stalls at the market.

According to him, most of his customers demand Adidas sport shoes. It is a relatively cheaper but still a well known brand, he explained.

Fashion trends are also observed at the Sunday Bazaar. As a shopkeeper, Luqman pointed out, sales of dress shoes and sandals have increased in the past two months. “The variety of formal shoes has also increased,” he added.

With books being sold at an average of Rs700 in most shops, second-hand copies of favourite novels is also one of the major attractions of the market, as Rubina, a university student, told The Express Tribune.

“You can get really good books from here at cheaper prices and in good condition.” Muallam Khan, who runs a second-hand shoes and clothes stall, reiterated how the Bazaar is visited by people across income-groups.

“All people come here to buy imported stuff,” he said, “Of course, some of them buy higher quality clothes and the others go for the lower quality dresses.”