Despite price hike, free iftar feeds tens of thousands in Karachi

KARACHI: As the sun begins to fade in holy month of Ramadan, volunteers start fixing traditional delicacies and drinks on scores of tables at different points of Karachi’s main University Road.

Although prices of basic commodities are skyrocketing yet the megacity is witnessing free Iftar stalls along major roads and streets. However there is a visible decline in this tradition if compared to such activities of last few years.

This year at five places at least people arranged the free Iftar but the quality of food offered was somewhat lesser.

Generous donors, market associations, welfare organisations and people belonging to various groups set up their Iftar stalls at major streets and markets including I I Chundirgar Road, M A Jinnah Road, Shahre-e-Faisal, Shah Wali-Ullah Road, Abul Hassan Isphahani Road and University Road,

People belonging to different walks of society set up free roadside Iftar stalls to facilitate passers-by without any discrimination of cast and creed.

Many volunteers hand packets of food and bottles of water and juice also to commuters.

About two decades ago a few individuals started the tradition of roadside free Iftar stalls in Karachi which has now become a strong culture. However, the high cost of food items and continuously reducing purchasing power have started impacting this tradition.

Some people making arrangement of Iftar say that prices of fruits and other food items have increased tremendously and they fail to get sufficient quantity of fruits and edible items at affordable price and make Iftar arrangement at a larger scale.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024