City enjoys post-Covid Eid shopping

Customers across class divide complain of inflation

LAHORE:

Citizens enjoyed shopping on the eve of Eid without the fear of coronavirus after a gap of two years.

The city markets were packed on ‘Chand Raat’, with shopkeepers, customers and vendors making the most of the opportunity.

It was after a long time that the threat of Covid-19 was not hanging over the people during the shopping season and families enjoyed the festive occasion freely.

A number of shopkeepers agreed to the customers’ complaints about price hike but refused to reduce the rates of goods.

While citizens from the middle class had deeper grievances about inflation, the affluent customers also appeared to be feeling the pinch.

A resident, Hammad Ahmed, who was taking a trolley of purchased items to the parking area of a supermarket, said while speaking to The Express Tribune he said the prices of everything had definitely increased substantially during the past year, but shopping for Eid could not be avoided.

A customer busy shopping in a market, Sadiq Hussain, said a dress that earlier cost about Rs1,200 was now being sold for Rs2,500. “No politician has done anything to ameliorate the problems of poor masses whose earnings are shrinking and expenses mounting,” he complained.

Street entertainers and beggars were also a common sight outside the markets, but they also appeared to be affected by the shoppers’ financial constraints.

A man seeking alms outside a mall said the people often used to raise their voice against inflation and the leaders kept promising to reduce the prices of essential items. However, neither the citizens stopped shopping, nor the prices were reduced.

He said the people gave away more money in charity during Ramazan, especially the last week of the month. He said the earnings of beggars had also been hit by inflation like the businesses.

Saeed Ali, a clown roaming in Liberty Market, said he was a college student. He said he performed at different public places to earn his livelihood.

He said children were keen to shake hands with him and he also loved them because they argued with their parents to pay him.

Javed Ghani who was entertaining people along with his monkey, named Surkhi, said his whole trade depended on the tricks performed by the animal. He said spectators gave money to the monkey after watching its performance. However, he said the money collected y him was not sufficient to support his family.

A shopkeeper said the customers mostly haggled over the prices but he could not sell anything at a rate cheaper than for what he had bought it.

Children Arisha, Mishal, Minal and Hasham said they did not know what their parents would buy for them for Eid but they were enjoying the visit to markets after a long time.

They said they would also eat their favourite food items while enjoying the Chand Raat with their parents.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2022.