‘Poor be made part of Eid festivities’

Rawalpindi : The people living below the poverty line lack the financial resources to become part of the Eid festivities as growing poverty kills happiness and suffocates their dreams.

“I cannot buy new Eid clothes for my children due to the price hike that has increased considerably in the last few years. I think people with limited financial resources can hardly be able to meet the expenses required to celebrate Eid in a traditional way,” said Shahid Iqbal, who lives in Dhoke Najju. He said “The price hike never hurts the well-off communities as traders and businessmen transfer the burden to the buyers that comprise mostly low-income people.” Eid is the right time to revive bonds and connections with those people who never have enough resources to celebrate this event. Our society should not be inconsiderate to the needy families. When the people buy new dresses on Eid they should pay heed to those who never have any new dress to wear on Eid; who watch and wish to have one.

The people should not forget those souls who are living in slums, having no roof to live under, no proper and healthy food to eat, no clothes to dress up in, and having nothing to celebrate Eid. Mansoor Ahmad, a student who works for a welfare organisation, said “Not everyone is able to celebrate this joyous day. But we think that the poor should also be able to eat their fill during the festival. We arrange donations and provide new clothes to the limited number of poor people.” He said, “The local administration has complete data about slum dwellers and it can arrange free food items for them so that they can spend some good time on Eidul Fitr.”