As Eidul Fitr is around the corner, the prices of all range of stuffs, especially garments, lady footwear, and artificial jewellery have increased manifold this year. Though, the Eid shopping has gained momentum as huge rush of women buyers seen in major bazaars, shopping malls, plaza and local streets, wherein salespersons have displayed various of stuffs, but the buyers are frustrated with skyrocketing prices.
In a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday, it was noted that the buyers showed their great concern about the prevalent situation of hike in prices of essentials on such occasions. The customers mostly women along with relatives and other family members thronged to bazaars eagerly for Eid shopping were seen in gloomy mood over the skyrocketing prices. The housewives were cursing the shopkeepers and the price-control and vigilance committees of the government for their negligence. During visit of this scribe to City bazaar, Meena Bazaar, Shaheen, Qissa Khawani, Hashtangri, Jhanda bazaar, Jehangripura, dean centre, and in main Saddar Bazaar including Jinnah Street-III, Shibli Street, Gora Bazaar, Khalid Street and Liaquat Bazaar, shopkeepers said that they had displayed variety of items to attract customers but the sale is yet to get picking due to different reasons.
It was noted that the prices of all kind of stuffs, particularly readymade garments, shoes, and other traditional outlets, have registered an increase of 70-80 percent as compared to last year. An ordinary readymade child-suit is being sold at Rs 1500, which was selling at Rs 700-900 before the holy month of Ramazan. Similarly, the lady footwear and shoes prices also increased manifold as low quality stuff was available not less then Rs 600-700, and Rs 1000-1,500, which is beyond the purchasing power of customers.
The women shoppers while sharing their bitter experience of last year, feared these shopkeepers usually tripled the prices of all range of stuff in last Ashra of the holy month, especially when it reached its climax on Chaand Raat. The interest of young girls in shopping has much been reduced now as compared to four or five years back. They said that the shopkeepers have marred their delight on this biggest religious festive. While shopkeepers have attributed that high prices and loadshedding are the major reason behind low sale.
The situation this year, they said was far better as compared to past some years where bomb blasts had become a common matter. "I had made an investment of Rs 1.5 million, but the routine sale was very low which cannot meet the daily expenditures, salesmen's wages, utility bills, and Rs 60,000 monthly rent of the shop, said a shopkeeper running a small readymade garments shop for children in Saddar bazaar.
Besides, he said rate of every item had risen at least from Rs 20 to Rs 100 as compared to previous year, and the prices were beyond the purchasing power of the customers. They asked the administration to ensure removal of encroachments and arrange parking lots at a distance from bazaars to avert any possibility of sabotage act. Wali Mohammad runs a shoe and garments shop in Meena bazaar Peshawar said that price hike was main problem because the people could not purchase costly items. This time, he said rates of the children's readymade garments had been increased at least by Rs 150 and customers avoided to ask about any item.
Junaid Khan, another vendor selling bangles said that usually the Eid shopping picked after fifteenth Ramazan but this year the sale was very slow. He also said that price of every pair of bangles had risen at least by Rs 20 to 30, but even then women were taking interests to purchase. The main problems being faced by the people is price hike, load shedding," Sajid Khan a young salesman at sadder bazaar said on Saturday. Similarly, a jeweller Shahid Khan said rate of every item of the jewellery had risen, adding that people liked the Indian jewellery.
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