Lockdown in KP: Demand for ready-made clothes goes up

PESHAWAR: The lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic and tailoring rush have increased demands for ready-made garments and clothes. The online shopping has also enabled the customers to place orders for ready-made clothes. However, many complained they received their required items late.

Many shopkeepers continued their business by sitting in front of their shops after bringing the shutters down and dealing with customers by opening the outlets briefly. “We are doing business as if we are committing a crime,” said Sher Afzal, adding: “This is our compulsion. By doing so, we are avoiding fines and arrests.”

“We had to do business. This is also requirements of people, who had to buy required items for their family and particularly children but we can’t do anything because the government has imposed the lockdown from May 8 to May 15 as it did not care about us,” he said.

The tailoring shops particularly in rural areas had no strict restrictions and many youths were seen receiving their clothes. The youths said they had been preparing clothes in the city but the strict lockdown had forced them to prepare it in their village shop.

A tailor, Rashid, had employed his two brothers and brother-in-law to help him stitch the clothes before Eid. Earlier, he said he could prepare it by himself alone but he received more clothes for this Eid.

Nizam, son of a daily wager, said a tailor in the village charged Rs500 for stitching one suit but the tailors in the city charged from Rs1000 to Rs1500 for a single suit.

Ibrahim, who works with a tailor as a helper said they received 100 clothes this year. He said they stopped receiving clothes as they would not be able to complete the work on time. “We requested the people to take it to other tailors,” he said, adding: “It was not possible for us to stitch all suits before Eid," he said. Aadil, a daily wager, said he had no time to do Eid shopping for his children due to the wheat-harvesting season. He said he could not afford to buy expensive ready-made clothes.