Rawalpindi-Sale of winter delights, particularly fried food items, is on the rise as the winter season is touching its peak and a considerable rush is being witnessed at fried food outlets in the city.

With advent of the winter, demand for fish, the most favourite item of the season, has increased manifold and fish outlets in different areas of the city are crowded with customers. Men, women and children come to these outlets to hit the cold with fried fish.

Various kinds of fish including Simon, Pamphlet, Black Raho, Mushka, Mahasher and Lobsters are being served at the seasonal shops and stalls. The fried fish varieties are available at Rs800 to Rs1,200 per kilogram. These days, vendors are also being witnessed selling fish on handcarts, bicycles and makeshift stalls from Rs380 to Rs650 per kilogram in every nook and corner of the town.

Meanwhile, the people have started enjoying traditional local winter items like doodh jalebi, gajar ka halwa, chicken corn soup, Kashmiri tea, fried fish, samosa, pakora, vegetable rolls, hot coffee and tea, boiled eggs and other foods which are high in demand nowadays. Several markets of the town including Saddar, Chotta bazaar, Committee Chowk, Raja Bazaar, Buni, College Road, Commercial Market, Chandni Chowk and other places are witnessing stalls of winter delights and shopkeepers are doing a good business due to high demand and increased sale of their products.

Gajar ka Halwa is also considered to be one of the favourite food items in the winter. Chicken Corn Soup is widely liked. According to health experts, use of excessive fried items could have a negative impact on the human health. On the other hand, sub-standard food is being sold openly at different markets of the city due to lack of appropriate action by the authorities. A large number of stalls and shops can be witnessed in different localities of the town selling traditional fried foods in unhygienic ways as the stallholders and shopkeepers are not following hygiene rules and threat human health.

It is also witnessed that the shopkeepers prepare and cook these food items in sub-standard cooking oil openly on main roads despite prohibition by concerned departments. Despite claims of the authorities concerned, the sale of substandard food is going on without any check in the city. The citizens complained that hotels and restaurants are not following cleanliness and safety standards. The citizens demanded strict action against those who are playing with the health of the people.