Daily Times

The capital city has started to wear a deserted look as most of the natives, settled here due to jobs, are moving to their native hometowns to celebrate the religious festival of Eid-ul-Fitr with their families and relatives.

The typical hustle and bustle of the city usually fades away during the Eid days as a large number of residents prefer to proceed to their hometowns after taking a couple of leaves or so from their offices and jobs, and this Eid is also not different.

The government has although announced five Eid-ul-Fitr holidays from Friday to Tuesday, the natives have clubbed Wednesday and Thursday before Eid and were seen moving to their hometowns.

“I’m leaving for my hometown in Bhakkar through public transport to celebrate Eid with my parents. I’ve taken a two-day more leaves from my office to stay with my parents for maximum days”, Zubaida Abid, who works in an office in the Capital told APP.

“I’ve purchased all the essentials, including clothes, shoes but could not manage to buy bangles and henna till the last minute due to rush in markets. Now I’ll buy these from my hometown,” she said while mentioning the huge rush in the markets.

“The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is very important for me as I get more time to spend with my parents after remaining busy in job here”, she said.

Azhar Ali, another resident of the Capital said that Eid was the only occasion when he finds time with his friends but most of them have left for their native hometowns to celebrate the festival with their relatives. “I feel again I’ll not be able to enjoy the occasion fully.”

“We’ve planned to arrange a barbecue party out door by inviting our relatives who live in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Hopefully, we’ll be able to enjoy the festivity to some extent”, he said.

“This is a very happy day for me as I’ll will get a chance to see my children after some six months,” said Syed Amir, a government employee, who was on his way to Swat to celebrate the Eid with his family.

He said it was difficult to visit his hometown frequently due to the nature of his job and the increasing fares but he could not imagine to miss Eid his family.