Festive spirit dampened by economic woes as nation celebrates Eid ul-Fitr

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/LAHORE: Pakistan observed Eid ul-Fitr with religious fervour over the weekend, amidst a backdrop of multiple crises facing the nation and a worsening economic turmoil.

Despite this, retail brands reported robust demand for their products, while traders lamented a massive slowdown in sales due to skyrocketing inflation.

According to a report, traders’ bodies noted a sharp decline in genuine buyers, with an average reduction of 50 percent compared to last year. The decline was due to the eroding buying power of consumers caused by unprecedented increases in food, electricity, and petroleum prices.

The first day of Eid was marked with congregations held in mosques and Eidgahs across all major cities and towns. The main congregation in the capital, Islamabad, was held at Faisal Mosque, attended by top government officials and envoys of Muslim countries who offered Eid prayers.

Special prayers were also offered for the progress and prosperity of the country and the welfare of the Muslim world.

President Arif Alvi joined the congregation at Faisal Mosque, praying for peace, progress, and prosperity in the country. He also prayed for the salvation of the people of occupied Kashmir from Indian suppression and atrocities.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered Eid prayers in Lahore, where he too prayed for the country’s prosperity and peace, as well as the people of occupied Kashmir and Palestine. He also remembered the victims of a deadly earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in February, as reported by state-owned media.

Alvi and Sharif, in their Eid messages, called on Pakistanis not to forget the needy and destitute on this festive occasion. The president urged his fellow countrymen not to let sectarian, religious and political differences become a source of strife and hatred during the holidays.

He encouraged people to inculcate the habit of forgiving and following the teachings of Allah and the prophet to help the country overcome the current situation.

Meanwhile, the prime minister expressed hope that his government would eradicate the current problems, including unprecedented inflation. He assured people that the coalition government was doing its best to pass the minimum burden of the current economic meltdown on to the people and to provide relief to the people.

He also urged the nation to remember those fellow citizens who had been suffering from the consequences of last year’s floods, while paying tribute to those martyred in the war against terrorism.

In their message, the military, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Chairman Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza and services chiefs also paid tribute to the martyrs and soldiers who made it possible to celebrate Eid in a peaceful environment.

Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir spent the day with troops at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Bajaur, where he emphasized the importance of defending Pakistan’s frontiers and appreciated the operational vigilance of the troops guarding the border.

He paid tribute to the deceased who sacrificed their lives for the defense of the motherland and the elimination of terrorism.

In his message, former prime minister Imran Khan called on people to remember the party’s leaders and workers who were still incarcerated, deprived of the chance to celebrate Eid.

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