Eid exodus: Twin cities wear deserted look

ISLAMABAD: With most of the people heading home to celebrate Eidul Fitr with loved ones, the roads and markets in the twin cities wore a deserted look on Sunday. Most of the people living in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are nonpermanent residents who head to their homes or ancestral villages on key occasions such as Eid.

The routine hustle and bustle of life in the cities, thus, almost grinds to a halt. From government officials to businessmen, from bureaucrats to politicians, most head to their respective hometowns in Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, central and southern Punjab, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan besides Sindh and Balochistan.



As a result, routine activities are suspended during the Eid holidays. Moreover, the long holidays afforded this time around with the addition of a weekend preceding Eid, government employees and others left on Friday evening and on Saturday for their hometowns. Additionally, some had taken early leaves ahead of the weekend so that they could avoid the Eid rush at bus terminal and railway stations.

On Sunday, roads, markets and shopping centres were deserted. Some people, who had their own transport or were running private businesses, were seen plying the roads. Although traders braced for a last minute rush of shoppers, they too would be off to their respective cities and villages after winding up their Eid sales that often continue past midnight.



Moreover, a number of small restaurants and shops in the capital have closed for Eid, providing a significant indication of the things to come once the Eid moon is sighted. Considerably fewer cars were seen on the roads. The rush at bus and van stands too had decreased from the peak rush witnessed in the preceding days.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2017.