Valentine’s Day: Business not what it used to be

Capital’s shopkeepers hesitant to display flowers, related items.

ISLAMABAD: Every year, shopkeepers and vendors of the capital eagerly wait for Valentine’s Day as it presents a unique opportunity for making profits. 

However, this year, threats from extremists have forced them to keep the affair low-key and avoid attractive displays.

Over the past decade, the ‘day of love’ has gained popularity with restaurants and gift shops exhibiting decorations and offering special offers for people to profess their love. For the last few years, an enormous 10-foot photo booth was established at the curb of the flower market near Jinnah Super. A heart made with thousands of artificial flowers lit up with lights a few days before every 14th of February.



The display was an attractive feature for couples and other residents who made a pit-stop to pick flowers and take a few photos. However, this year, shopkeepers have decided not to exhaust their energy into making the giant display. “We cannot afford to put people’s lives and our own lives at risk” said Adil Ashraf, a flower vendor.

Ashraf said flower vendors make the most profit this time of the year. “We import flowers from out of the country and even local flowers, mostly roses from Lahore, for just this one day,” he said. On a regular day, a rose is sold for Rs15 to Rs20 but on Valentine’s Day, it goes up to Rs30 to Rs40. “It is a time when we make around Rs50,000 in profits in just one day,” he added.

Ashraf said as the day drew closer, certain extremist groups have approached the flower market discouraging ‘overt’ displays of flowers and love. “We have received direct threats from people who walk into our shop and claim they will burn it down if we celebrate Valentine’s Day. They also go on to preach about religion,” he said. Due to this reason, shopkeepers of the flower market are skeptical and calling it “The Flower Day” instead of Valentine’s Day.



Another shopkeeper said shopkeepers selling flowers have requested the police to depute officials at the shops to avoid any act of violence. “We know how crowded it is on Valentine’s Day, it can be an easy target,” said Shaukat Khan, a shopkeeper at the F-6 flower market.

“We used to extend our window display to outside the shop weeks before Valentine’s Day. This year we are keeping lesser items” said Shakoor, a shopkeeper at Booknook gift shop. He said he had not received direct threats, but certain customers expressed concern and strong dislike for the event in particular. Speaking to The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity, a police official in charge of one of the busiest markets of the capital said there have been orders to not let anyone set up any kind of Valentine’s Day related display at any road. He confirmed that even flower shops have been asked to keep the affair on a minimal scale to avoid backlash from religious groups.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2015.