SWABI, Aug 23: Frequent power outages in the ongoing month of Ramazan have badly affected the business of tailors across the district and many of them say that they are not in a position to cope with the growing demand for sewing clothes for the upcoming Eidul Fitr.

Talking to this correspondent here on Tuesday, tailors said that though the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) did not resorted to prolonged loadshedding in the holy month, but frequent outages had put them in a fix whether they would be able to meet the target or not.

“Owing to outages we are confronting a tough time, as in the last few days of Ramazan it is virtually a race against time to stitch clothes well before the Eid for the growing number of customers,” said a tailor, Mattiur Rehman.

Tailors said that Eid used to be an earning season for them and in days before Eid they had to work round the clock, but power posed a real challenge for them.

“We simply can't plan when to work and when to take rest; the Pesco has really landed us in a confusing situation,” they said.

Answering a question, the tailors said that they did not have finances to buy a generator. Most of the tailors have closed down their shops in the cities and moved either to their homes or other apartments.

“This strategy has been adopted to avoid rush of people who want to compel us to prepare clothes for their relatives and friends,” said Mohammad Shafiq, who closed down his shop in Topi tehsil bazaar and works at home.

This scenario has also put the residents in a fix, as most of them are unable to afford the costly ready-made clothes.

“Last year I bought a suit for my son at Rs800, but this year when I checked with a shopkeeper the same suit was selling for almost double the amount,” said Wahid Zaman of Maneri Bala. Parents said children did not care about the prices of clothes and they wanted new clothes for Eid while on the other hand prices are out of reach of the common people.

“I am interested in having new clothes only because it is our religious obligation to wear new clothes on Eid,” said Dr Mohammad Riaz.

A visit to the city markets revealed that prices of cloths, shoes and other such items had registered a sharp increase compared to the last year while the business community was blaming levying of taxes on every commodity for the rise in the cost of different items and services.