LAHORE - The business of used warm clothes is getting boom in the City after a sudden change in weather and the opportunist traders at the same time have also increased price of the stuff after people mostly belonging to lower stratum of the society, have rushed to 'Landa Bazaars for buying second hand clothes. A survey conducted by The Nation here on Thursday revealed that the number of buyers is increasing rapidly in the City. The people, particularly belonging to the poor, lower middle class as well as 'white collared persons in the society, are compelled to purchase second hand warm clothes due to high prices of the new winter clothes, beyond the reach of common man who is already pressed hard by the spiralling price of other items of daily use coupled with growing unemployment, one of the principal contributory to his sufferings. The second hand clothes go a long way economically help the poor given the current costly living. Imran Butt, a salesman at a readymade garments shop says that the business of new warm clothes and winter garments is still not picking up as citizens of low income group are reluctant to purchase such costly clothes, while the well-off section of the society has also lowered its interest over the last few year due to the price hike factor. He said the overall business of newly-stitched readymade garments has faced a considerable decrease. He informed this scribe that an average quality woolen clothes including pent, shirts, sweeter and jackets are available on Rs 700 to Rs 2000 while other price of high quality clothes runs into even lakhs of rupees, totally beyond reach of a layman and attracting only the elite class. On the other hand, the low prices of second hand garments attract the lower income section of the City, said Riaz Khan, a merchant of Landa Bazaar. He said there was a hell of difference between the prices of the new clothes and used ones. He says the imported clothes in Landa Market have a lot of variety and vary in prices falling within the reach of the common. He said that the price of the garments of different kind and stuff range between Rs 10 to Rs 5,000 according to their quality, condition, material and stitching and the company which had prepared the same. He says there are pieces, which even look better than new ones and the people go in for them to wear on weddings. A buyer Nauman complained that by getting advantage of high prices of the new winter garments, the shopkeepers also increased the prices of second hand garments due to which, he said the low-income class of the City might not be able to purchase even such like clothes in this winter. Giving account of prices of various stuff, he said that socks which were available at Rs 5 to Rs 15 are available at Rs 15 to Rs 50, while sweaters are available from Rs 100 to Rs 1500, jackets Rs 300 to Rs 2000, shirts from Rs 100 to Rs 500 and coats Rs 200 to Rs 3,000. He commented that prices of such second hand clothes also have doubled as compare to the previous years. However, a trader Muhammad Ejaz told that the reason behind the increasing prices not only is due to unaffordable prices of new winter garments but also uncertain law and order situation in the country which also hit the business of used-clothes like other business due to which the business community dealing in such business also suffered and have to bear loss. We are running our business for earning money for feeding our families and in such prevailing circumstances of the country also hit our business and we compelled to increase prices in order to meet their expenditures of the entire year, he said adding that the winter season is in fact their business season for which they wait in the other seasons. So far as the high prices are concerned, he clarified that there is a lot of variety and category in used-clothes including 'untouched quality woolen clothes and that only are costly.