Brands minting money by displaying Eid sales

Islamabad: As Eidul Fitr just around the corner, many national and international brand shops all across the federal capital are selling garments, shoes and other accessories with offering attractive ''Eid sales'' by displaying upto 30 to 50% off minting money from the customers.

Due to increase in the concept of brands, mostly citizens claimed the famous outlets ahead of Eid are fleecing the consumers in the name of quality products and charging a huge profit even on low-quality products.

As usual a large number of customers who visited these famous outlets for Eid shopping returned home empty-handed because of the higher prices of readymade garments, shoes, handbags and many other accessories.

According to citizens, people are crazy in following the brand race and it lower down the street trend markets are now focused on tagged with latest brands. Famous brands of outfits, accessories, footwear and eatables create a sense of satisfaction among the large number of people in our society.

A 50-year-old Aisya Bibi with her young girls while shopping on garment shop lamenting the situation said that majority of the designers outlets are so expensive that only the elite class can do shopping from there.

Another 37-year-old Zakiya Khatun said every day a new and different shop is opened in a regular market and they claim that they offer the best designs at lower prices to achieve a rank among its consumers.

And when the season is about to end or any festivals comes every brand sell their outfits on lower price in the name of Sale. Nowadays people are very much obsessed about brands. In past ladies were so much aware about their budgets they never thought to spend their money beyond limits, she added.

A student of BBA, Saniya Azam, while shopping at local brand shop at F-10 market said, “all sales seems attractive until we visit the outlet.” Although the owners have inscribed Sale upto 30 % but it is quite difficult to find a suitable dress in this sale category.

Most of the dresses in 30 % sale category were found obsolete and old fashioned. A salesman at a famous brand outlet claimed the trend is emerging among people to buy branded clothes because these fashion outlets have fixed rates even in regular days and do not exploit the consumers in the name of any festivity like Eid.

People are more attracted towards the branded goods because of durability and unique designs, obviously in affordable prices, he added.

Arabian style Iftar dinners: The Arabian style of philanthropy for the last few years has taken roots in the country as ‘iftaar’ dinners, known as Ramazan ‘dastarkhawn’, are being arranged at massive scales at open public places, feeding labourers, poor and homeless and commuters.

“This initiative is now widely supported by public morally, physically and financially. Me and my friends had initiated to offer ‘iftar’ to motorists for being on roads and away from their residents but now it turns to be a cause that targets homeless, labourers and poor. And our organization Helping Hands had fed over 40,000 in this holy month of Ramadan, said a co-finder of the entity,” Hamza Sardar, at a roadside ‘iftar’ dinner.

He said they have arranged ‘iftar’ parties (Ramazan ‘dastarkhawan’) at different places such as old homes, jails, orphan houses, Railways stations, mosques and open places to target different segments of deserving and needy people. “And we try to serve the best quality food,” he added.

A volunteer, Babur Salah ud Din, who was serving the people at a ‘dastarkhawan’, said he was working with the organisation from last two years and was really impressed by their passion and team work for the cause.

A woman volunteer, Sarah Babur, said, “The power of Individuals can change the fate of society and this trend has given new dimension to philanthropy in our country.”