Lahore: With hardly a week left for Eid Al Fitr, shopping has gained momentum in Lahore as city markets are becoming crowded.
A survey shows that seasonal businesses related to the Eid have also picked up after a long period of depression.
The shopping centres in Gulberg and on The Mall are packed with customers, mostly women, and shopkeepers have increased prices expecting customers to bargain.
The sale of clothing, cosmetics and shoes is on its peak and bangles, cards and jewellery stalls have been set up throughout the city. However, the markets in Defence are comparatively less crowded and most of the shopkeepers say they are disappointed.
"It is the best time to shop for Eid," said Naveela, a Punjab University student shopping at Auriga Complex, because prices will increase as Eid approaches.
"I want to finish shopping as early as possible," said Maryam, because there is so much to be done. Farhan Arshad, who works in a pharmaceutical company, said his company would pay him the next salary before Eid Al Fitr but he did not wait as he wanted to finish up shopping as quickly as possible. He was shopping at Panorama Centre.
The spirit
"The prices will increase as Eid approaches," he said. "I have bought new shoes for Eid," said 11-year-old Cornelius, shopping in Liberty Market with his family. His father said children loved to celebrate and parents had to keep them happy.
Not all shopkeepers are happy with business, however. "People do not buy as much as they did 10 years ago," said Shaikh Kashif, a shopkeeper in Anarkali, but he was happy that sales are always high in Ramadan. Waseem, a shopkeeper in Auriga Centre, said business had been bad this year.
