ISLAMABAD: On his way back from the busy working day, 33-year-old Sohail Malik did not forget to stop at an exquisitely decorated floral shop in Islamabad to grab a bouquet of red flowers for his wife on Valentine’s Day.
“I am so excited to make the day special for my wife by presenting her with these beautiful flowers. I believe there is no better way to express your love and feelings for the people you care about than giving them flowers,” Malik, who is also celebrating his first marriage anniversary this year, told Xinhua.
“It is my way to show my gratitude for her for giving me a wonderful, contented and joyous year,” he said, adding that besides this, he is also going to make the day extra special by taking her out for a lavish dinner.
A few days prior to Valentine’s Day, markets in Pakistan are abuzz with small and big stalls selling designed bouquets and a variety of flower combinations with special arrangements and unique wrapping papers, with customers showing keen interest in them.
Talking to Xinhua, Muhammad Bashir, a florist in Islamabad, said that his business has witnessed a boom as Valentine’s Day approaches and his earnings have soared due to the high demand for flowers.
“I have been associated with this business for the last 10 years, and we wait excitedly every year for this day as it brings handsome profits for us with high sales […] let’s say if I am making Rs8,000 of sales a day normally, sales jumped to 70,000 to 90,000 on this day,” Bashir said.
“I have different kinds of flowers including roses, tulips, Lilies, sunflowers and orchids. All flowers are equally popular among customers, but if you ask me the most-selling variety of flowers, it’s red roses,” he said.
Commenting on exorbitant prices being charged by florists on the day, Mohsin Khan, a flower seller in Rawalpindi, said that the prices are a little higher than those of normal days, but people who are buying them are not much concerned.
“We have different varieties of flowers, locally-produced and imported ones. We have to charge more for the imported ones as we are also getting them at higher rates […] customers want to buy better-quality fresh flowers which obviously come with a price,” Khan told Xinhua.
“Buying flowers for loved ones on this day is a kind of luxury rather than a necessity, so customers do not bargain much and basically pay the price we asked […] After all, bringing a smile to your loved one’s face is worth more than this. There is no price tag for happiness,” he said.
Other than flowers, celebrants also cheer the festivity of the day by exchanging greetings, gifts, chocolates, and heart-shaped balloons and wearing red-themed dresses. Retailers, restaurants and confectionaries across the country offer special discounts to make the day fun-filled.
