Roadside iftars back after two-year hiatus

Traditional roadside iftar for passers-by, motorists and drivers has returned to Rawalpindi after a suspension of around two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The district administration had banned all gatherings and mass iftars due to the escalation of the coronavirus cases. After the coronavirus cases dropped in the Rawalpindi district, roadside iftar stalls and setups have revived.

In Ramazan, different charitable organisations and affluent philanthropists people organise spreads on footpaths across the city for the destitute and a large number of people benefit from them. The traditional langars in the city have also turned into sehri and iftar dinners.

During Ramazan, deserving people are helped in various ways. This year, Ramazan dastarkhwans have been set up on main highways such as Murree Road, Commercial Market, Raja Bazaar, Gawalmandi, Jhelum Road, Bohar Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, Bani, Satellite Town and other areas.

Hafiz Abdul Basit, a volunteer with the Reality Welfare Organisation, said that Ramazan is the only month in which every Muslim tries to make the fasting people break their fast in the best way possible.

“Despite inflation, well off people have expanded the scope of their services in this great virtue, instead of reducing it. They try to ensure that those who are unable to afford Iftar items due to high prices, participate in these iftar dinners as much as possible,” he said.

He said that the number of Iftar dinners in Rawalpindi has doubled this year after the coronavirus threat subsided. It is estimated that more than 200 dastarkhwans are set up in the city, where thousands of deserving people break their fast.

Ramazan dastarkhwans have been set up on highways, roads, public places and bus stops. People show up quietly and break their fast with a variety of dishes and drinks.

Social Welfare Department officials said that during the two years of coronavirus, the welfare activities were severely affected.

They said that this year, mass iftar dinners have been organised in places where daily wagers, travellers and low-income people are offered iftar dinner and sehri.

They said that the Social Welfare Department provides assistance to welfare organisations and philanthropists to arrange mass iftar. The banned organisations have been barred from arranging iftar and sehri.

Representatives of welfare organisations said that a large number of day labourers are struggling to make their ends meet in the current situation with most businesses struggling to revive.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2022.