October 04, 2008	Saturday	Shawwal 04, 1429

TAXILA, Oct 3: The modern day’s facilities like internet and mobile phone has eclipsed the sale of Eid cards. Widespread use of SMS, multi-media message (MMS), voice message, online chatting etc. have replaced traditional mode of greeting Eid through cards.

SMS has become a new mode of greeting on festivals. People send various interesting messages through mobile phones to their friends and relatives and express their wishes and greetings. Besides, they also send beautiful animated pictures and cards through MMS mobile facility and E-cards via internet.

Since all these modes of communication are time-saving as well as money-saving, people do not feel inclined to visit markets to choose Eid cards and then send them through post offices.

A few years back, Eid card stalls used to be flooded with customers during these days but now very few people can be seen at such places. “Sale of Eid cards has been decreasing over a period of time. This year it has touched the bottom,” said Mubashir, an owner of card centre.

“It seems that the people prefer modern tools of communication to post cards,” he said, adding that he would not set up a stall next year.

It has also been learnt that 25 to 30 companies used to be in the business of Eid cards in the recent past but this year the number has reduced to eight to 10.

On the other hand the sale of landline and mobile phone cards has increased immensely as people make frequent calls to their near and dear ones living within the country and abroad.

Shopkeepers and retailers of the twin cities of Taxila and Wah Cantt told this correspondent that the calling cards of various cell phone service providers and PTCL almost doubled on Chand Raat and first day of Eid.

“I used to sell landline phone cards in large quantities, but now the demand for cell phone cards has also increased,” said a shopkeeper in Cantonment market.

According to a 1998 population census, six million Pakistanis were living abroad, but now the number has reached approximately 10 million. Most of the expats celebrate Eid abroad, therefore, they share their greetings via telephone.