The main focus of residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad is to purchase clothes, foot wears and many other Eid specific items despite substantial increase in the prices of all items. The survey noted that prices of ladies clothes of famous brands start from Rs 3,000 per suit, while local brands dresses are available between Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500, while unstitched suits are being sold between Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000. Prices of readymade ladies shirts start from Rs 1,500. Different varieties of ladies bags are also being sold at high rates as the minimum price of a bag is Rs 500. Ladies shoes of famous brands are available in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.
The survey noted that artificial jewellery, different kinds of cosmetics, earrings, bangles and henna are also being sold at exorbitant rates as an ordinary artificial jewellery set is available at Rs 500, a set of good quality bangles is being sold at Rs 300 and above.
Wide range of gents' readymade clothes is available in the market and price of a Kurta Shalwar of an ordinary brand starts from Rs 2,000 and goes up to Rs 4,000. A Shalwar Kameez of an ordinary brand starts from Rs 1,500. The prices of men shoes of famous brands start from Rs 2,000 and go up to Rs 5,000.
Different people talking to Business Recorder said that traders in other countries significantly reduce prices at religious festivals while in Pakistan traders are doing otherwise. Mohammad Rafi, a shopper, said that the traders are trying to maximise their profits during the Ramazan and Eid days. Giving example of children suiting, he added two months before he purchased a readymade suit for his 6-year-old child at Rs 800 and now the same suit at same shop is being sold at Rs 1,200, while branded garment prices are out of the reach of the common people as they start from Rs 3,000 a suit and go to Rs 15,000 per suit.
The common people are just visiting the shops to see different items as they do not have the purchasing power to buy expensive clothes or shoes that is why they prefer to purchase China made low-priced and low quality items to celebrate Eid or they even did not purchase anything at all, said Mohammad Shafi, a salesman on a garments shop in Raja Bazaar.
"I have been working on this shop for 21 years and my salary started with Rs 2,000 per month and now after passage of 21 years it reached Rs 18,000 per month. With this salary how can I even think of purchasing a Don Carlos brand shoe, which starts with price tag of Rs 2,500," he maintained.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017