PESHAWAR   -  As Eid-ul-Fitr is around the-corner, shopping has gained momentum in pro­vincial capital Peshawar amid huge supply of con­sumer goods and buying spree among the people.

With only a week left, huge rush was observed at different stalls of ban­gles, henna set ups, and ar­tificial jewellery and cos­metic shops in the city bazaars. These prepara­tions will reach a crescendo on ‘Chaand Raat.’

Armed police persons were deputed to ensure hassle-free shopping in all city bazaars, markets and shopping centres. Through­out the city, stalls have sprung up, selling cosmet­ics, earrings, clothes, ban­gles and mehndi. Most of the markets have been dec­orated with festive lights.

On the other hand, own­ers of shoe stores, children garments shops, boutiques and other readymade gar­ments have increased pric­es and are found overcharg­ing.

This shopping spree is likely to continue till the last day of the holy Ramazan. With the rise of number of buyers, traffic jam in the city’s busy mar­ket places, roadside make­shift markets and intersec­tions, particularly in front of shopping centres have become acute.

The volume of transac­tions is relatively higher this year as the city’s Meena bazaar, Shaheen, Qissa Kha­wani bazaar, Gora bazaar, Liaquat bazaar, Universi­ty Town, Hayatabad and different shopping houses were humming with unusu­al shopping crowd.

Buyers complained about the sky-high prices of gar­ments, footwear, cosmetics, jewellery and other items in the local markets, which have dampened the Eid fes­tivity. On the other side, shopkeepers are unhappy due to low sale and profit being earned from the pur­chasers but they expressed hope that business activi­ties will pick pace during last days of Ramazan and Chand Raat.

Retail prices have gone up by 50 to 70 per cent this year as compared to the previous year; especially prices of different varieties of clothes have registered a sharp increase.