Affordable Eid bazaars plan scrapped by administration

Move deprives low-income families of Eid festivities

Listen to article

RAWALPINDI:

The district administration has decided not to arrange Eid Bazaars this year due to the severe financial and economic crisis that has gripped the country.

Since 1988, about 16 cheap Ramazan bazaars have been held in Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas every year. These bazaars sold all essential items, including food and drinks, Iftar and Suhoor staples such as sugar, gram flour, vegetables, fruits and meat at subsidised prices.

On the 20th day of Ramazan, these bazaars were converted into special Eid bazaars, which stocked Eid food items including vermicelli and suji, and other festive items such as clothes, shoes, bangles and henna cones.

This year, however, due to the prevailing financial and economic crisis in Punjab, free ration was abolished alongside the provision of free flour.

Instead of 16 cheap bazaars, only one Ramazan bazaar was set up outside the city, which is not even accessible to the majority of the citizens.

Travelling from the inner city to outside the city by taxi, rickshaw or private vehicle alone costs around Rs1,000 to Rs1,500.

To address this, a bazaar was especially set up on the Allama Iqbal Park Double Road. However, the limited Ramazan bazaars remain unaffordable for most residents.

Previously, two cheaper bazaars were set up in each tehsil within the inner city, close to the city's entrances so that it was accessible for everyone.

The decision to not set up Eid bazaars in the city this time around has caused major disappointment among the middle and poor classes, who are left with no choice but to turn to bigger and unaffordable markets for their Eid shopping.