ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: On the eve of Independence Day, Mohammad Naeem sat listlessly at his stall of national flags and other souvenirs in Aabpara.

There have been few customers. For him, the traditional fervour and sale associated with the Independence Day is missing.

“Every year we used to have around 25 stalls at this busy market. Sales were brisk. In two weeks we would earn more than Rs5,000,” Naeem said. “But this year we have only three stalls and all my stuff is leftover from the last year’s stall.”

When a young boy with a national flag on his bicycle approached the stall and asked for another one, Naeem turned down his request. “He is not here for buying the flag. The boy is my neighbour and I promised to give him second flag on August 14.”

The Independence Day celebrations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been strangely subdued this year.

On Saturday, there was only one stall selling national flags and souvenirs in the Peshawar Mor market, two in Super Market and none in Jinnah Super Market.

In Rawalpindi too, vendors said the people were not zealously buying T-shirts, pin badges, stickers or hoisting flags at their homes.

A stallholder in Rawalpindi’s Commercial Market blamed it on “inflationary pressures” and Ramazan. “People are more worried about buying food items.”

As he was trying to find clues to lesser number of customers, a man demanded a badge free of cost for buying the Rs50 flag. With limited sales, the stallholder readily agreed.

The listless mood and lesser sales had also hit the whole business chain – printers too have suffered.

“We used to print stickers of various sizes every year. But this time we cannot make printing plates for 100-200 pieces. It should be at least 2,000,” said Ali Raza, a printer in Rawalpindi’s Waris Khan.

Apart from the sale of flags and souvenirs, the ongoing energy crises, law and order situation and the political scenario have had their share in the seemingly depressed atmosphere in the days leading up to the Independence Day.

Due to severe electricity shortages, only a handful of government buildings have been illuminated, in a sharp contrast to previous years when the whole Blue Area and all other government buildings were lavishly decorated, giving a new look to the capital after sunset. This year the buildings have been illuminated as late as August 12.

Security concerns also made the celebrations a low-key affair, according to a senior police officer. Requesting anonymity, he added even the political parties were trying not to gather crowd at public places.

Apart from lighting of lamps by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), none of the other political parties announced any celebration plans. In Rawalpindi, the traditional fireworks at Lal Haveli by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed are also missing this year.

Because of security threats, various civil departments of the armed forces have also toned down their Independence Day celebrations. “The schedule for 14 August programmes has been circulated on Friday and Saturday,” said an employee of Military Accounts, who insisted on anonymity. “Earlier we used to have programmes spread over three to seven days.”

Expressing concern, he said it was the responsibility of political parties to boost the morale of masses.