Daily Times

The Independence Day’s preparations on Saturday reached to its climax in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar where all bazaars and markets were flooded with national flags, posters and other decorative accessories looking festive.

Peshawar’s oldest bazaars including Qissa Khwani, Karimpura, Mohalla Jhangi, Meena bazaar, Hashtnagri, Liaquat, Faqirabad and others were decorated with green and white colours of the national flags on the occasion of the 76th independence day of Pakistan, which would be celebrated with national enthusiasm on Monday (Aug 14). Like other provinces of Pakistan, the Jashin-e-Azadi fever has also griped KP including the seven merged tribal districts where people of all ages decorated their houses, shops and vehicles with national flags to express immeasurable love for their homeland.

Great enthusiasm was being witnessed among youth, who were buying national flags, banners, stickers, models of historical buildings and portraits of the heroes of the Independence Movement besides made their vehicles green and white.

Balahisar Fort, Governor House, Peshawar Museum, Ghanta Ghar, University Peshawar, Civil Secretariat, Islamia College Peshawar, FC Headquarters, Peshawar Development Authority, State Life and Deans Trade Centre were artistically illuminated with colourful buntings, attracting people’s attention at night. National flags were hoisted on all government buildings in Peshawar where people decorated their vehicles with green and white colours to celebrate independence day in the most befitting manner.

Qissa Khwani, the historic bazaar having about 2,500 old history and a centre of trade and business since then, was also made green and white where all markets and shops were jampacked.

“Since my childhood, I regularly came with my father to paint my face with the national flag by an expert artist at Peshawar to look different on Independence Day,” Sidra Bibi, a resident of Wapda Town who was decorating her face and hands with green and white colours of Pakistani flag at Qissa Khwani bazar told APP on Saturday.

Carrying plastic bag with plenty of national flags, stickers, models of Islamia College Peshawar and Minar e Pakistan, she was feeling happy after purchasing 400 badges, stickers and posters for brothers, sisters, relatives and schools fellows to celebrate independence day with great pump and show. Wearing a green and white shirt with green bages, Sidra said Independence Day enhances the spirit of patriotism and she will come again with family to watch the flag hoisting ceremony at Peshawar amid the national anthem by police bands on Aug 14.

Adnan Khan, a vendor shopkeeper of Pabbi selling decorative items for children including green toys , pressures horns, hats, masks, spectacles, bangles, flags, badges and models of historical buildings of Pakistan Movement at Mohalla Jhangi near Qisakhwani told APP that he rushed to Peshawar after seeing the overwhelming response of youth and children in decorative toys and stuff on TV.

The energetic shopkeeper who sold out all stock ahead of Independence day said that his father will come from Lahore tonight to bring more Jashine Azadi stuff to earn maximum profit here, adding last year he had earned Rs50,000 against Rs75000 so far during this Jashn-e-Azadi.

The printers of Mohalla Jahangi Peshawar, a hub of printing, papers and graphic industries have also earned maximum profit after receiving heavy printing orders for Jashin-e Azadi celebrations from all districts including seven merged tribal districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa these days.

Besides printing orders of national flags, posters, advertisements, graphics designing, promotional cards, stickers, badges, billboards, panaflex and souvenirs from government departments, private organizations, educational institutions and civil society, the Peshawar based printers, publishers and graphic designers have made roaring business during last two weeks where Jashn-e-Azadi materials were being sold like a hot cake.

To meet the pressing demands of hundreds of thousands of customers, most of the printers engaged extra labourers that worked till late night to meet the placed orders. They have rolled out hundreds of thousands of national flags, posters, banners and decorative accessories since the start of this month while vendors made quick profits on the streets.

Sitting on a revolving chair with focused eyes on a computer giving final touches to flags, posters and pamphlets’ designs ordered by different schools and colleges in connection with 76th Jashin-e-Azadi celebrations, the 25-years-old printer, A.S. Khattak was working against the clock to meet the set orders.

Unaware of Peshawari Kahwa placed on right side of his computer table in one room office at Mohallah Jhangi became cold, the Karak born Khattak, told APP that Jashin-e-Azadi has brought smile on cheeks of hundred of thousands of printers, publishers, advertisers and graphic designers after witnessing great boom in printing orders these days.

Terming printing is a hard hitting business, he said that most of printers are overworked due to heavy orders for such big occasions.

“Approximately 40,000 people including 3,000 printers, publishers and graphic designers were associated with this business in Peshawar and achieved big profits in last two weeks.” “The response of the general public especially youth and children on this Jashin Azadi was unprecedented. We have engaged six extra labourers, who worked till late night to meet the national flags, banners and badges demands of people.” He said many printers and publishers having a quality printing machines’ setup and skilled labourers received heavy orders to the tune of Rs 4 million to Rs5 million for Jashin-e Azadi this year. Extra printing materials were brought Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad to fulfill the customers pressing demands.

Anees, who is running a printing unit at Jahangi mohallah for last 12 years was feeling proud to employ 20 labourers and said that the printing industry carried great scope and would definitely encourage new talents if they wish to join the printing industry as a profession.”I am ready to provide an internship to students who want to adopt printing, designing and advertising as a career in my printing unit.” “KP printers and publishers mostly rely on Punjab for printing materials after closure of Charsadda and Mardan paper mills. The transportation and electricity cost has increased prices of finished goods,” he said. “Our main customers are educational institutions. The closure of schools, colleges and universities examinations due to COVID-19 in the past had adversely affected our business and Govt compensation package for such printers were required,” he said.

Zafar Khan, President All Printers and Publishers Association KP told APP that Peshawar based printers and publishers have earned great profits in posters and national flags after a boom in Jashin e Azadi items was witnessed these days. Substantial printing orders of national flags and green stickers/badges have been received from merged tribal districts including South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurrum, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur for Jashin-e-Azadi, he added. Zafar said printers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had pinned high hopes on Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Rashakai being built under China Pakistan Economic Corridors (CPEC) and Economic Zones where the establishment of printers and papers units would not only open up new vistas of investment and employment opportunities for youth.

The graphic designer and publisher at Fawara Chowk, Peshawar Cantt said after the 2018 elections, printers and publishers made substantial business during this Independence day celebrations. They said a great boom was witnessed in 3D printing and paper business on Independence Day. The printers expressed the hope that the printing industry would get upward economic boost during upcoming general election in the country including Khyber Pakthunkhwa and employment opportunities would be generated for the skilled workforce.