People flock to bazaars as Eid nears

With a jubilant mood in the air, women throng artificial jewellery, bangle stalls

RAWALPINDI: Eid shopping is picking up momentum in the city’s main markets as Eidul Fitr draws near.

There is a hint of jubilation in the air with excited women heading to markets which have been decorated with bright lights and buntings for the festive shopping.

Entrepreneurs, particularly young men, have set up Eid stalls selling cosmetics, accessories, and ready-to-wear dresses to make a quick buck in the spending season.



The shopping rush starts around the middle of Ramazan and lasts till Chand Raat or the eve of Eid. People prefer to buy new clothes and footwear and many other items to look their best for the festival.

Eidul Fitr, the biggest religious festival in the country, is celebrated with great zeal and fervour. Commercial interests make arrangements to cash in on this festive occasion which is yet to hit its peak.

“The real rush of buyers has yet to come,” a seasoned shopkeeper said. “At the moment, most people are just browsing or window shopping, enjoying a stroll through the market while having snacks at the food courts,” he said.

On the contrary, many shoppers said they were looking for emerging fashion trends before heading to low-end markets to buy copies owing to high prices.



A shopkeeper grumbled that most customers just come and look around, ask for prices and then leave.

Some people buy only a few dresses the whole year round and one such occasion is Eid. Keeping this in view, the market responds in kind and from high-end brands to local bazaars, everyone packs their inventory with traditional embroidered dresses for women, elaborate frocks for girls and kameez shalwar for men.

Bangles

Bangles are as essential for Eid as vermicelli. Artificial jewellery stalls showcasing bangles, rings, bracelets and many other things have popped up in various markets of twin cities ahead of Eidul Fitr attracting a large number of women.

Bazaars in Sector G-9 Markaz, Supermarket, Jinnah Supermarket, Saddar and Commercial Market are the main hubs for bangle sales.

However, shopkeepers do not expect an exponential increase in sales till just a week before Eid.



“It is three days before Eid when bangle sales peak,” Fayyaz Khan, a stallholder at Jinnah Super said.

“Price of a dozen of bangles ranges from Rs100 to Rs300, depending on their quality and style,” he said.

Kanwal Sohaib, a student, said that Eid shopping is incomplete without bangles and henna. Sameen Khan, a student of the Fatima Jinnah University, said glass bangles are a traditional favourite and quite popular, but steel bracelets last longer.

According to a stall holder near Karachi Company said that rubber bands along with artificial gold bangles were in great demand this year.

Traffic woes

With the rise in a number of buyers, traffic jams in and around the markets and intersections have become routine, especially in the narrow streets of Rawalpindi.

People frequently get caught up in traffic snarl-ups, particularly in front of shopping centres such as Tench Bhatta, Peoples Colony, Saddar Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Lalkurti, Rehmanabad, Sadiqabad Markets, Commercial market and other shopping areas.

Meanwhile, police claimed to have made stringent security arrangements for the protection of the people at various shopping centres, markets and public places.

To ensure the security of women, lady police have also been deployed at various spots in shopping malls at Saddar Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Moti Bazaar and other busy markets of the city.

According to a police security plan, officials in plainclothes have been deployed in various areas and close circuit cameras are being used to keep an eye on different bazaars, parks and other public places.

City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi has made special arrangements to regulate traffic in commercial areas of the town, said Chief Traffic Officer Yousaf Ali Shahid.

Traffic squads have also been deployed at all the main intersections of the city whereas a helpline has also been set up at the Racecourse Traffic Office with the deployment of a special squad.

The helpline is working 24-hour and providing help and assistance to the citizens.

Traffic wardens and officers have been directed to take strict action against double and wrong parking which causes traffic jams on city roads and create inconvenience for the road users.

He said that CTP was making effective measures to control one-wheeling and violation of other traffic rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2017.