Zubair Qureshi
After Supreme Court’s May 18 orders of opening businesses and shopping malls, people of the federal capital are caught in Eid shopping frenzy and made a beeline to the city’s shopping malls and markets in order to purchase new clothes, shoes and other items.
With 53,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Pakistan is heading towards an all-time high health crisis but people unaware of the repercussions of their going out or visiting markets are violating social distancing and other protocols made mandatory by the government for going out and shopping.
On Saturday, one could see a large number of cars parked outside the popular brands of readymade clothes in F-10 Markaz, Super Market and Jinnah Super.
The iconic Centaurus Shopping Mall and Safa Gold were also overcrowded with shoppers who wanted to buy classy/branded items. However, thought overjoyed at the opening of shopping malls and markets people also expressed their dismay and anguish at the price hike and arbitrarily increase in price of various items by the shopkeepers. “There is no check on these brads and local items sellers who have increased prices by 50pc,” said Nyla a resident of the Sector G-9 while talking to Pakistan Observer.
She was looking for shoes and garments for her two school going kids Ahmed 9 and Mujtaba, 7. The pair of shoes that was earlier selling for Rs1000 is now available for 1600, said she adding the same is the case with garments’ prices. A trousers that was worth Rs700 is now being sold for Rs1500, she said.
Pakistan is celebrating Eid festival which is subject to moon-sighting, most probably on Monday, though Federal Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry has hinted at Sunday (today) to be the Eid day.
Although the Islamabad district administration and Pindi district government have warned people against going to crowded places for shopping and directed strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be observed while shopping, shopping malls and markets are already overcrowded with people.
