Footpath vendors doing brisk business ahead of Azadi Day

Islamabad : As Azadi festivities get momentum, sale at the footpath stalls has reached its peak in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad like rest of the country as the low-income people are crowding makeshift footpath shops for buying things at cheaper rates.

Most of the footpaths in the busy areas of the federal capital have been filled with makeshift shops, targeting motorists for making brisk business during the Independence day shopping frenzy.

Makeshift shops on the footpaths are also experiencing large crowds, mainly of the lower-and middle-income-group people.

Hanif Javed who came to buy a T-shirt for his child, said, one shouldn’t look down upon the footpath stall. “Good products are available here at a cheap rate,” he added.

Makeshift vendors on alongside roads said the footpath business has gained momentum every day with the start of August, which usually multiplied in the last seven days of the 14 august.

Every year before Azadi festival, those with their pockets full crowd the mega shopping malls and centres in the city’s posh areas while the low-income group throngs footpath shops to purchase their desired items, said a citizen Muhammad Imran.

Ikram Ali said, “We are buying things from these stalls at cheap rates for celebrating Azadi with my near and dear.”

Another buyer, Fouzia Mukhtar said that they came to the footpath for shopping as the prices of items are cheap comparing to brand shops and shopping centres.

A number of roadside vendors in federal capital were seen overcharging motorists despite procuring the items, particularly flags, at much lower wholesale rates.

The roadside vendors have set the rate lists at their own will and receiving high charges for goods.