News Reporter
Rawalpindi: Sales of winter clothing, both new and used, have risen in several city markets in the past few days, with the first stirrings of the coldest season of the year.
Various items such as shawls, sweaters, caps, mufflers, and fur-lined coats are on sale at roadside pushcarts and stalls, as well as in shopping malls. Buyers crowding these places are mostly of low-income backgrounds looking for low-cost warming gear. Makeshift shops on footpaths are doing brisk sales.
Shamim Rizvi, a trader at Commercial Market, Satellite Town says, “I expect a good sale of warm clothes this year due to the initial good response from buyers. I am selling export-quality clothing like jackets, and sweaters at reasonable rates.” “I am selling items at affordable prices. Low-paid employees of government and private organizations are crowding my shop. They are purchasing second-hand sweaters, jackets, and other warm clothes from me,” says Shamsa Naqvi, running a footpath stall at Tench Bhatta market. “As the mercury has started falling, trade of winter garments has gathered momentum.
I sold a number of second-hand warm clothes, which are higher in demand than new clothes,” says Zamir Haider. “Those coming to my shop are usually people from small income groups, including day labourers, rickshaw-pullers, etc., adds Shamsa. Shirin Zaidi, who sells second-hand items including denim jackets, woollen blazers, and sweaters in his shop near Kali Tanki, Saidpur Road says, “Today a lady came to my shop to buy some clothes for eight members of her family. Some young well-off customers also came as they think that used items are better in quality and design than new items.” “Sale of warm clothes has already begun at my stall set up on the footpath of Jamia Masjid Road area of the city. Men and women of all ages are thronging on the footpath vendors like me to buy different warm clothes, including jackets, sweaters, headgear, mufflers, scarves, and wrappers. We have also stored blankets,” says Munir Hussain. Street hawker Shabbir says, “I sold some second-hand warm clothes at low cost, which are higher in demand among the poor.
