ISLAMABAD       -      As Ramzan festivity pervades cities around the country, a number of seasonal vendors, on various roads and around mosques, are selling religious items including prayer mats, prayer beads, rosaries, prayer caps and Islamic books to attract worshippers. Markets near the mosques during Ramzan became a hub for sales of prayer-related accessories, said a vendor selling prayer mats at G-6.

The holy month of Ramzan sees droves of faithful coming to mosques, said a visitor, adding, this annual surge in prayers brings windfalls to people selling prayer mats, rosaries, prayer caps, and keffiyeh scarf. Many customers claimed that they travel to the markets from nearby towns to buy prayer mats in bulk. A number of items imported from other countries were in high demand and also yield better profits, a vendor near an F-10 mosque added. People buy prayer beads and perfumes as gifts during the holy month, said another visitor to an F-10 mosque while purchasing religious items.

The demand and sale of prayer rugs or mats used by Muslim devotees during the holy month have gone up all across the country as Muslims engage in increased prayer and charity. On the other side, the trend of inviting friends and family over sehri and iftar meals is also gaining momentum, therefore, local restaurants are offering “special deals” to attract customers during Ramzan. Various hotels and restaurants during sehri and Iftar times become lively during Ramzan, said a citizen Muhammad Zeeshan at a restaurant in F-7. Traditional deep-fried snacks like pakora, samosa and jalebi, kachoris go higher in demand during the holy month of Ramzan as the ‘Iftar table’ was considered incomplete without these traditional fried food items, said another female citizen.