rawalpindi - With Eid-ul-Fitar fast approaching, sale of counterfeit cosmetics is on the rise in the city markets, posing threat of spread of skin diseases among the women.

According to reports, a large number of shops, stallholders and handcart pushers in various markets and bazaars of the city including Raja Bazaar, Saddar, Hospital Road, Chota Bazaar, Lalkurti, Tench Bhatta, Peoples Colony, Miserial, Chungi # 22, Bara Market, Iqbal Road, Moti Bazaar, Satellite Town Commercial Market, shopping centres of Murree Road, Faizabad Market, Pirwadhai, Sadiqabad and other areas are in the business and minting money through sale of substandard cosmetics.

The sale of these cosmetics had started with the advent of the holy month of Ramazan.

Low quality face powders, lip sticks, body lotions, nail polishes, talcum powders, beauty soaps, creams, shampoos and other items are not only being sold on the handcarts and stalls but also in the shops of renowned markets of the town. Doctors of a local hospital said that these cheap cosmetics cause skin diseases. They said that the officials concerned should have started an operation against the fake cosmetics sellers.