The government of Rawalpindi cancels Eid bazaars due to the economic crisis
The Rawalpindi district administration has formally chosen not to hold Eid Bazaars this year due to the ongoing economic and financial crises a decision that has disappointed residents, particularly low and middle income families.
Subsidized Ramazan bazaars have been a mainstay of Rawalpindi pre-Eid ambiance for many years. Since 1988, there have been about 16 Ramazan Bazaars every year in the city and cantonment districts. These bazaars provide important food products for Iftar and Suhoor, like as meat, vegetables, fruits, sugar and gram flour at steep discounts. In the final ten days of Ramadan these bazaars typically changed to Eid bazaars offering festive items including clothing, shoes, bangles, henna cones, vermicelli and suji making Eid shopping more accessible to all.
However, as of 2025, this long-standing custom has ended. In addition to eliminating the Eid bazaars, the government has stopped distributing free rations and bread throughout Punjab this year due to budgetary difficulties and growing inflation.
Unlike past years, there was only one Ramazan Bazaar this year and it was situated on the outskirts far from the city center making it mainly inaccessible to the majority of the population. Traveling to this one bazaar became an additional financial strain because taxi, rickshaw or private transportation fees ranged from Rs1000 to Rs1500. Even though the government established a special market at Allama Iqbal Park on Double Road in an attempt to address accessibility concerns pricing is still a big problem especially for families with low incomes and daily wage workers.
In the past, every tehsil of Rawalpindi had at least two inexpensive bazaars usually located around city entrances for convenient public access. For many who are already struggling with the high cost of living their absence this year has made seasonal buying difficult.
Families who depended on these government sponsored marketplaces to buy reasonably priced Eid necessities have been particularly affected by the cancellation. Residents are now forced to shop in commercial marketplaces where costs have skyrocketed due to inflation making customary Eid celebrations even more unaffordable, as there are no subsidized markets this time.
This trend reflects a larger worry about the mounting financial strain on common people many of whom are now finding it difficult to strike a balance between everyday needs and religious and cultural holidays. In 2025, Eid might be more associated with financial worries than with joyous celebration for many.
