Vendors in winter welcome weary wanderers in Punjab

Sellers provide charpoys, blankets and pillows to transporters and passengers in the city

MULTAN: With the onset of winter, myriads of vendors have set up stalls to rent out blankets, pillows and charpoys at residential points near general bus stands, truck stands and other areas of the city.

Transporters and passengers are the main customers and spend nights by getting these rented items at cheaper rates. Transporters from Balochistan, Karachi, Lahore and other cities prefer to stay at these spots instead of hotels and rented rooms.

A stall owner near a general bus stand, Muhammad Khan, told The Express Tribune that he had been running the business for the last five years and earns a handsome amount every winter. He stated that he charges Rs25 for one charpoy, Rs50 for a blanket and Rs10 for a pillow per night.

Ghulam Fareed, another stall owner near Bahawalpur bypass, said that 60 to 70 people are daily customers in the winter, while the number increases in the summers. “I charge Rs100 per person for each night because they are also customers of my small hotel from where they purchase food in the morning and at night,” he said.

Jamal Khan, a transporter, stated that he drives loaded vehicles for about 10 to 12 hours a day and prefer these points for rest. “Pickpocketing and swindling are the only problems at these places as many people are deprived of cash and valuables,” he said. However, these points are also a security risk due to improper checking, absence of safety arrangements and verification of the accommodated people, as per Khan.

According to him, the staff owners have never asked about identity cards, nor maintained proper record of customers before allowing them to a night’s stay. “The police department must put special focus on this issue in order to prevent any unfortunate incident,” he said. He added that customers have also complained about poor cleanliness, dusty bed sheets, pillow covers and blankets.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2019.