RAWALPINDI  - Sale of winter delights particularly fried food items is on the rise as the winter season is touching its peak and after Friday's rain in twin cities and snowfall on Margalla hills and Murree, a considerable rush is being witnessed at fried food outlets.
With the advent of harsh winter, the demand of fish most favorite item of winter has increased manifold and fish outlets in different areas of Rawalpindi were crowded with customers.
Men, women and children come to these outlets to hit the cold with fried fish which is favorite dish of everyone but it becomes more popular in the winter season.
Various kinds of fish including Simon, Pamphlet, Black Raho, Mushka, Mahsher, and Lobsters are being served at the stalls and fried fish is available at Rs.350 to Rs.600 per kilogram.
Nowadays, vendors are also being witnessed selling fish on handcarts, bicycles and makeshift stalls from Rs. 200 to 380 per kilogram in every nook and corner of the town.
The people have started enjoying the traditional local winter items like Doodh Jalebi, Gajar ka Halwa, chicken corn soup, Kashmiri tea, fried fish, samosa, pakora, vegetable rolls, hot coffee and other items which are high in demand particularly nowadays.
Several markets of the town including Saddar market, Chotta bazaar, committee chowk, Raja bazaar, Buni, college road, commercial market, Chandni chowk and other places are witnessing stalls of winter delights and the shopkeepers are doing a good business due to high demand and increased sale of their products.
Gajar ka Halwa is also considered to be one of the favourite food items in the winter. Chicken Corn Soup is widely liked soup for the customers especially in winter. According to health experts use of excessive fried items could have a negative impact on the human health.
On the other hand sub-standard food is being sold openly at different markets of Rawalpindi city due to lack of appropriate action by the authorities.
A large number of stalls and shops could be witnessed in different localities of the town selling traditional fried food in unhygienic way as the stallholders and shopkeepers are not following the hygienic rules and threat human health especially children.
It is also witnessed that the shopkeepers prepare and cook these traditional food items in sub-standard cooking oil openly on main roads despite prohibition by concerned departments.
Despite claims of the authorities concerned, the sale of substandard food was going on without any check in the city.
The citizens complained that hotels and restaurants are not following cleanliness and safety standards. The citizens have demanded to take strict action against those who are harming health of people.