Eid shopping is at it peak here and despite serious economic constraints everybody seems to throng the markets both in urban and rural areas of Sialkot district as well as in cantonment area of the city. Great rush has been witnessed on shopping centres and in commercial markets as only a few days are left in Eid. Different markets and bazaars remain open till late at night because customers start pouring in after Iftar.
China-made readymade garments shops both male and female have been attracting buyers as the seller have displayed new varieties and designs of garments at prominent places. The China-made shoes and readymade clothes have attracted the male and females in the city shopping centres. It may be mentioned that the sale of inexpensive Chinese products like readymade garments, shoes and mobile phones are denominating in local markets whereas the sale of home made products is lowest ebb due to the high price.
Due to the current price hike wave people prefer to purchase Chinese products especially the readymade garments and shoes for celebrating the Eid in Sialkot. Some female buyers said that although people are getting dresses of their choice in shops at high prices of as compared to the past years resultantly they are facing hardships in purchasing garments within their budget limits. Serious quarrel between tailors' female customers was also witnessed for not stitching suits on time and according to the design at various tailoring shops.
Great hustle and bustle is also witnessed on bangle shops, which have doubled the attraction in shopping centres and markets. Humming young girls and women were seen busy buying and bargaining Multani and Hyderabadi glass bangles. Huge gathering of females of different age groups was also witnessed on different "Dyers (Rang Raz) shops for matching or dyeing dress according to their requirements. In addition to this heavy rush of women folk was also witnessed at beauty parlors for make over and hair cutting while some young females complained that beauty parlors were fleecing the women by both the hands in the city.
Similarly, Mehndi points have also attract the women folk where large number of young girls and elderly women are found busy in decorating their hands with different patterns, while some are purchasing "Cone Mehndi" for self decoration. The artificial jewellery and readymade garment shops have also attracted the young girls, where huge rush of girls and women was witnessed.
Large numbers of guys were found busy in "Window Shopping" in much busy shopping centres and commercial markets of the city and cantonment areas.
Sialkot is also flooded with a variety of beggars. A large number of male and female beggars are seen in different commercial and bazaars as well as in posh localities of the city and cantonment areas.