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| October 1, 2007 | Monday | Ramazan 18, 1428 |
Security concerns fail to deter Eid shoppers
By Amin Ahmed
RAWALPINDI, Sept 30: People’s security concerns in crowded places
notwithstanding, shopping with less than two weeks left for Eid-ul-Fitr, is
steadily picking up to its traditional frenzied pitch.The city’s shopping malls even with complaints of a dull season are doing roaring business. Shopkeepers too have worries of their own regarding security and have taken necessary steps on their own since government agencies are too busy minding their duties in connection with the presidential elections next week.
Over the years, Bank Road has become the leading shopping centre as new plazas continue to claim their place in the remaining limited space that was once the cantonment’s spacious promenade called the Edwards Road. “Gakhar, Zarkoon and Singapore Plazas have now emerged as houses of fashion particularly for the young generation. Designer clothing of most international labels and fashion houses, fake and genuine, is competing in prices with local products.
Evenings bring bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Bank road as Eid shopping fever grows. Traffic on Kashmir Road is no less chaotic with policemen too few to control the mayhem. Violation of one-way traffic on the Bank Road is common and goes unchecked.
Kamran Market is the oldest shopping place in the cantonment area and with dozens of ladies tailors operating here it has become the number one choice for women. Ramadan is the roaring season for tailors and each one of them has his hands full of work, more than they can handle. Chandraat or the evening of moon sighting is their deadline by which they must deliver or else”.
Many shopkeepers claim that the purchasing power of the people is on the decline, yet the markets are crowded with the rich, the middle and the poor classes spending according to the size of their pockets since whatever happens Eid must be celebrated.
Chinese products with their affordable prices have flooded the market. From garments to shoes, jewellry and toys the Chinese products are competing with the local products and have in fact helped in keeping prices down.
The century old Moti Bazaar, in the heart of the city, seems to be losing its attraction for women which is attributed to the congestion of traffic and encroachments all around. There is a mushroom growth of unauthorized street vendors (rehris) who ply their ware in the narrow streets of the bazaar. Customers now prefer to visit the newly developed shopping centres in Saddar, Murree Road and the Commercial Market, Satellite Town, where car parking is available.
Moti Bazaar houses around 1200 shops surrounded by seven business complexes — the Bohar Bazaar, Naya Mohallah, Trunk Bazaar, Sabzi Mandi, Bara Market, Fruit Mandi and Bazaar Talwaran. On the eve of Eid, streets of Moti Bazaar are flooded with buyers, mostly women. Ready-made garments, artificial jewellry, shoes, bangles, cosmetics and the most wanted henna, all that the women can buy for the festival is available on specialised shops.
While shopkeepers complain of dull business, pickpockets are active and taking advantage of the congestion. Entry of males in the Moti Bazaar is usually banned during Eid shopping, but this year there is no such restriction. According to a conservative estimate, anywhere between 20,000 to 30,000 women visit the Moti Bazaar every day.
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