Eid for tailors, retailer not for general public

As the Eid is approaching fast and people from all walks of life are worrying about their shopping for the Eid, those who were late to purchase clothes are endeavouring to get them sewed and some are busy and bothered about buying animals.

Animals from different areas of the country like Sargodha, Khushab and other parts have started arriving in the “Mandi” of Islamabad. But the rates of the animals are beyond the reach of common men which are disappointing them severely. But it is inevitable to buy something for the sacrifice. The prices of goats and sheep have also increased by up to 30 percent.

“The average prices of the animals are more than 35,000 which are out of reach of a common man. I started haggling with the retailer for buying a goat. Lessening down the discussion to the price of one animal, the seller after 25 minutes of rigorous bargaining, offered his lowest price of Rs35, 000. Certainly the price was no way near my budget and out of frustration,” Mumtaz Hassan a purchaser there said while talking to INFN.

Shafiq Muhammad a clerk who was present in the mandi along with his brother said, “I have come here to buy a goat but I got astonished when I inquired about the prices of some of the animals here in the mandi. Vendors are selling goats above Rs30, 000. When I told him the goat should not cost me more than 10,000 he instantly said “It was some four years back that a goat would cost 10, 000 but not now.”

At new Aabpara Archade, Muhammad Adnan, Aqib and Abid, who are tailors by profession in a basement at the market, have been working day and night for the whole month. It is not only a tiring work but is very hard for them to manage with the load shedding problem and the people rush and demands to be stitched clothes before time.

Adnan, has specialty in stitching clothes for ladies, said he alone tries to complete sewing of eight to ten suits daily.  “And to achieve the task, I have to work around 20 hours a day,” he added.

Adnan told INFN with his head bowing on the machine.

This is our season when we can only make some profit compare to other months. We do not have lot of work in other months to easily make our both ends meet, another tailor Abid said.

Sadia Nazir, a mother of four children in Jinnah Super said she has to buy new dresses for her children so these days the prices are out of reach of a common man. “I am in a fix as what to do, either buy ready made or approach tailors for sewing of clothes,” she said.

Various shopkeepers and retailers in the city confirmed the surge in prices of animals, cloths, shoes and other things etc due to the inflation in the country while they were blaming many factors.

In most of the countries prices are kept constantly fixed and under control but in our country the price of same items are determined differently in different places. This is a very serious matter and needs the attention of the concerned authorities to bring this issue under consideration and a proper check and balance system should also be observed.