The capital city has embraced normalcy, with the majority of natives returning after celebrating the religious festival of Eidul Fitr in their inbred towns with relatives to join their daily engagements.
After celebrations of Eidul Fitr, following the conclusion of the holy month of Ramazan, the natives as well as the locals are now transitioning back to their routines, as significant attendance was observed in the public and private offices and educational institutions.
Although many of the employees and students have resumed their official and academic engagements, respectively, many still could not join their daily activities due to tiredness after travelling back from their ancestral towns.
The majority of the population of Islamabad, comprised of people belonging to different parts of the country who are settled here for jobs, education, or business purposes, prefers to celebrate the festivals of Eid with their relatives in their home towns.
The three Eid holidays from Wednesday to Friday announced by the government compelled the officials to take leave on Monday and Tuesday to club weekends back and forth with Eid holidays to spend more time with their families.
Kamran Khan, a resident of G-8/1, said, “Most of the natives prefer to celebrate the religious festival of Eidul Fitr in their hometowns. Now, the hustle and bustle of the city is reviving after Eid, with its residents coming back from their native towns.”
“I managed to get leave on Monday and Tuesday before the Eid holidays and left for my hometown on Friday, enjoying around ten days with my parents, making this Eid memorable as I would get an opportunity to visit them on Eid,” he said.
Muhammad Yar, who is settled in Islamabad due to a government job and only visits his native town occasionally, said, “It is important to bring children to our home town to spend maximum time with all family members to have a strong bond.”
“I wish my children to remain connected with our roots, native language, traditions, and culture so that they can adopt those deep-rooted values that are essential to becoming good humans,” he said.
The federal capital wears a deserted look during the Eid festivals as most of the natives move to their hometowns to celebrate such festive occasions with their loved ones, while most of the markets and restaurants also remain closed.
The educational institutions in the city have also opened after Eid vacations, and students, after enjoying detailed visits to their home towns, are ready to focus on their academic routine along with sharing details of their Eid celebrations and participating in Eid Milan parties.
“I was excited on the first day of school today after vacations as me and my friends shared stories of our Eid celebrations and had great fun,” Sarfaraz, a student in Grade III, said. “After enjoying vacations, I will be more enthusiastic about my studies with a fresh mind,” he added.
Contrary to the previous traditions, a number of the food outlets and shopping malls remained open during the Eid days, and the majority visited these due to the rainy weather outside.
The public transport plying between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was seen as very limited during the Eid holidays, but now the hustle and bustle of the cities has been restored with the culmination of the holidays.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2024.
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