Festive season: Eid shopping gains momentum in twin cities

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With the start of the second Ashra of Ramazan, Eidul Fitr shopping has gained momentum as people of all age groups, particularly women and girls are thronging for shopping in markets and shopping malls in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

These preparations will reach their crescendo on ‘Chand Raat’. In the twin cities, markets and shopping plazas have sprung up selling clothes, shoes, bangles, cosmetics, earrings, and mehndi.

After the removal of Covid-19 related restrictions, women and children are enjoying the signature hustle and bustle of the Eid the most as they are seen in larger proportion at every stall, shop, mall, and market in the twin cities.

Eid-related items including, jewelry, cosmetics, clothes, bangles, and mehndi are up for sale at stalls that have been sprung up throughout the markets in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Shopping malls and bazaars in Saddar, Raja Bazaar, and Commercial Market have been decked out with illuminating lights.

A large number of stalls for cosmetics, jewelry, and clothes have been set up in Tech Bhata, Lal Kurti, Saddar, Raja Bazaar, Commercial Market, Murree Road, Sadiqabad, Pirwadhai, Aabpara, Karachi Company, Bhara Kahu, and Peshawar Morr.

These bazaars, stalls, and malls are attracting shoppers towards them. “That is the reason why casual shoppers do not prefer online shopping even when it offers handsome discounts and ease of shopping,” Usman, a shopkeeper in Saddar market.

A female customer in Commercial Market said,” Eid shopping is not just about buying things, it is part of celebrations. I enjoy visiting markets along with my friends and family. Sometimes we do not even buy a single item and return home after rejuvenating ourselves through window shopping.”

In Ramazan, a large number of customers visit the bazaar, said the owner of a women’s clothing store in Raja Bazaar, adding that when the last Ashra nears, we don’t find time to sleep even for a few hours.

“We spend Chand Raat and the night before it dealing with customers without sleeping even for a minute.”  The owner of an e-commerce store said that he had bought a huge stock of women’s dresses for selling it online during Ramazan.

However, he said, he failed to sell beyond 10 dresses during the last 12 days of Ramazan. It was a bad decision to target the Eid shoppers. People prefer visiting physical markets and stores rather than buying Eid items online.