Daily Times

A large number of women, men and youth thronged to city markets for Eid shopping amid high prices of garments, shoes and other items as Ramazan is heading towards its end. Many families can be seen busy in purchasing garments, shoes and other items from different markets of the city. The traders were now feeling themselves satisfied due to public arrival in markets and expecting increase in sales during the next few days leading up to the Eid-Ul-Fitr.

Though the Eid shopping remained low during the first three weeks of Ramadan this year, it started picking up impetus as most of the shopping centers remained open for late night after Iftar. A good number of citizens visiting different markets including Saddar, Hussain Agahi, Bohar gate, KalayMandi, Gulshan Market, Gardezi Market, Mumtazabad and in the shopping plazas, situated at Abdali road, Bosan roads and New Multan areas. Despite skyrocketing prices, children and women were seen more eager to select unique designs of clothes, jewellery to wear on the day of EidulFitr.

Children and women are more enthusiastic in choosing new and unique design clothes and shoes, said a shopkeeper at Gulgasht Market namely Zain Khan while talking to APP here on Saturday. However extraordinary high prices of cloth, ready made garment, food and other essential items has compelled majority of people in lower and middle income group to stay away from some costly markets. They are visiting Hussain Agahi, Bohar Gate and KalayMandi markets which are considered as cheap markets in the city.

Muhammad Akhtar informed that he had completed the shopping of himself and family members in the first weeks of the holy Month of Ramadan by keeping in view the gathering in the last weeks at markets. He complained that there was no check and balance on rates of clothes and shoes in the city adding that the shopkeepers were charging extra rates of these items without any fear.

However, some parents were trying to buy affordable products particularly garments and shoes only for their children because they could not see displeasure on the innocent faces. For this purpose, the low-income people were preferring to visit stalls at roadsides and on footpaths because products available on these stalls are less expensive than the other shops.

Ghulam Shabir, a father of five informed that he had purchased toys, clothes, shoes, glasses, and caps for the kids in order to mark EidulFitr. He stated that he was more ambitious for shopping of his kids as compare to himself. On the other hand, zigzag parking of vehicles, traffic blockage and pick pocketing are going unchecked and many shoppers have complained of no proper management to deal with such issues. Muhammad Husnaat complained that he visited Hussainagahi Bazaar for shopping where he spent more than an hour to find parking place for his car and then he was picked pocketed during shopping because of great rush of buyers.