Inflation outdoes the Grinch this Christmas

Price hikes cast a pall on twin cities’ Christian community

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: With less than five days to Christmas, the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are abuzz with anticipation and excitement, as the local Christian community prepares for the religious festival. Stalls carrying Christmas decorations and trees have been set up across various markets and revelers are keen to decorate Christmas trees and churches with twinkling lights and vibrant flags to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

However, much to the dismay of the Christian community, inflation has put an extortionate price tag on their religious festivities. A market survey in the twin cities by The Express Tribune reveals that Christmas trees – a festival essential – will also be more expensive this year as compared to previous years. A small, four foot tall artificial tree can be expected to retail anywhere around Rs4,000 whereas a taller five to seven foot tree can cost as much as Rs10,000.

Other than that, a single pack of Chinese Christmas lights will retail for Rs500 and a Santa Claus costume is priced at around Rs6,000 in the local market. Local clothing stores and bakeries too have exponentially raised the prices of their products; putting a financial strain on the local Christian community.

“Prices this year are so high that it’s even been difficult to buy new clothes for our children, let alone Christmas trees and decorations,” shared citizens Ashar Sindh and Khurram Sajjad. “Islamabad administration should consider setting up two-day Christmas bazaars which offer items on a subsidised rate,” they added.



Troubled by the sky-rocketing prices with the festival just around the corner, the local Christian community is of the opinion that the government should do more to facilitate their minority communities, especially during times of religious festivals. “Children and elders come together to bake cakes and decorate trees during Christmas, all of which holds symbolic value in our faith but the extortionate price tag on most things this year make it very difficult for us to celebrate Christmas like we used to.” In the days leading up to the Christian festival, the police and district administration have also prepared and implemented a church security plan for Christmas Eve. Police officers have been deployed at all churches and closed-circuit cameras have been installed on church entry and exit points to monitor movement and ensure public safety.

Furthermore, a day prior to Christmas as well as on the day of the festival, all church-goers will be required to pass through metal detectors and security checks for admission into a church. In a bid to make the festival enjoyable by employees in all government departments, the federal and Punjab governments have cleared the salaries of Christian employees ahead of the festival and announced December 26th as a holiday for the Christian community.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2019.