Ramadan

In photos: Pakistanis throng markets ahead of Eid ul Fitr

Improvements in security have led to an increase in the number of shoppers during the final days of Ramadan.

By Syed Abdul Basit

2018-06-14

A customer in Rawalpindi buys a child's shirt June 10 for Eid ul Fitr. [Syed Abdul Basit]

A woman shops for girls' clothes in Rawalpindi June 10 ahead of Eid ul Fitr. [Syed Abdul Basit]

Women look at an array of bangles for sale in Nowshera June 9. [Syed Abdul Basit]

Women buy children's bangles in Nowshera June 9. [Syed Abdul Basit]

A bangle vendor poses for a picture in Nowshera June 9. [Syed Abdul Basit]

Markets in Nowshera can be seen teeming with shoppers late June 9 in the days before Eid ul Fitr. [Syed Abdul Basit]

Crowds can be seen ahead of Eid ul Fitr in Rawalpindi June 12. [Syed Abdul Basit]

Eid shoppers can be seen at Al Jannat Mall in Rawalpindi June 12. [Syed Abdul Basit]

A woman has her hand painted with henna in Islamabad on June 12 ahead of Eid ul Fitr. [Syed Abdul Basit]

RAWALPINDI -- Eid ul Fitr is the busiest shopping season in Pakistan, with men, women and families shopping for new clothes, shoes, bangles, henna and other goods.

In the week leading up to Eid, which this year is expected to start on either Friday or Saturday (June 15 or 16), shopping centres in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been full of customers from after iftar until late night.

With the return of peace and security, shoppers say they now have peace of mind.

"In 2016 and 2017, I didn't like to stay in crowds because of security threats," Usman Mughal, a shopper in Rawalpindi, told Pakistan Forward. "Today I spent five hours happily shopping with my family."