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KARACHI: Insipid, listless shopping

By Mushfiq Ahmed

Eid shopping is a subdued affair in Karachi like elsewhere in the country because of the massive October 8 earthquake in northern Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

However, shopping picked up slightly in the last week of Ramadan. But the shopping was mostly limited to buying something for children. Grown men and women mostly stayed away from the markets.

“I am also grieved and shocked at the loss of life and property in Azad Kashmir and other areas hit by the earthquake. But I am also concerned for my children whose Eid celebrations depends on my sales in Ramadan,” said a shopkeeper.

When shopping picked up in the last week of Ramadan, he had had enough income so that his family could celebrate Eid, though in a subdued manner.

Shopkeepers on Tariq Road and Saddar markets estimate a 40-50 per cent drop in sales as compared with their usual sales in the month of Ramadan. They attributed the decline in sales to the earthquake. A shopkeeper said after 15th of Ramadan markets were usually crowded, but it was not the case this time.

Ather Ali, who sells men’s clothes at a busy market, said sales declined by no less than 40-50 percent. “If a shop sold cloths/clothes worth Rs 50,000 a day in previous Ramadan, its sale have declined to Rs 30,000 a day only this Ramadan,” he said.

However, some traders said they did not feel any change and that the number of shoppers had not declined. This reporter saw usual hustle and bustle on Tariq Road, where a number of markets are located. It was not easy to find space for parking car in the last 10 days of Ramadan. Shopping in Ramadan is not done for Eid, but also for wedding whose season begins soon after Eidul Fitr. Shopping for weddings was an important reason why shopping gained momentum in the last 10 days of Ramadan.

“I don’t think people shopped less this time. It was quite normal,” said Khalid Saeed, who sells children’s clothes at a Tariq Road market. “In particular, the sale of children’s clothing has not been affected.

Shoaib Ahmad, who stitches women’s clothes at his father’s shop, said he had been working till dawn for the past 20 days because of the rush of customers. He said his father had been opening the shop again as early as 10 in the morning, which indicated the amount of work.

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