Migrant workers return to Pindi as Eid holidays end

All commercial centres, public offices and courts will open from today

RAWALPINDI:

After a long Eid holiday season, the vibrancy will return to Rawalpindi city and cantt from Wednesday [today].

This year, five Eid holidays (April 21 to 25) were announced by the government on the eve of Eidul Fitr which provided a great recreational opportunity for the citizens.

While the small bazaars opened in the garrison city on Tuesday, all the major commercial centres, education institutions, public offices and courts will open from today.

Citizens who went to their hometowns to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their loved ones have also started returning to the city. Due to the arrival of the non-native residents from other cities, there was a huge rush at the transport stations including the general bus stand and the railway station across the city from morning till late last night.

The citizens complained of overloading and overcharging by the transporters while the extra fare for the luggage was also being charged equal to one passenger.

The migrant workers complained that they returned from their villages cash-starved as they had received April’s salary before Eid. Hence, no government employee will get a salary in May, making the next month 40 days long for government employees.

Due to the opening of courts, the suspects will be produced in the courts as usual from Adiala Jail on Wednesday. All the vehicles that bring the suspects from the jail to the courts have been brought to the Adiala Jail.

On the other hand, the rush of families has also subsided after four days of Eid at the amusement venues and parks across the city. Fewer families visited the parks on Tuesday despite being the last Eid holiday.

The timings of the parks have also been reduced from 10am to 11.30pm.

According to an estimate, about one million people visited all major parks and recreational locations including Ayub National Park, Jinnah Park, Patriata, Shakarparian, Daman-e-Koh, Rumi Park, Ladies Park, Children's Park, Joyland, Dhok Munshi Park, Pir Sohawa, Jasmine Garden, and 502 Workshop Park, which is a record for this year.

The parks' management earned good revenues while families also had a great time. Whereas now the arrival of families has decreased in all these major amusement places.

During the days of Eid, Murree Road Rawalpindi's biggest amusement place, the Allama Iqbal Park, was closed due to the Pakistan-New Zealand cricket match. The rush of this central park was also shifted to the Ayub and Jinnah parks.

In the Allama Iqbal Park, the Parks and Horticulture Authority had made a lot of arrangements and swings for recreation but all the arrangements went in vain as it was sealed from all four sides by installing barbed wire.

In addition to this, the Kuri Road Chowk Park was also closed. The parking lot of this park was converted into a parking lot for the motorcycles of the spectators of the cricket match.

Although these two parks opened on Tuesday, they failed to attract a large number of visitors.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2023.