The Eid sales season of 2026 has proven to be the worst in the country’s history, according to Atiq Mir, chairman of the All Karachi Traders’ Alliance.
Mir stated that prices of goods increased by nearly 60% compared to last year, with overall shopping dropping 40%. He further revealed that 70% of the stock accumulated in warehouses for Eid sales remained unsold.
“Traders are claiming that only around PKR 10 billion worth of goods were sold this year,” Mir claimed.
The sharp rise in inflation, driven by the Gulf War and a PKR 55-per-liter hike in petrol prices, has compounded the financial burden on consumers, particularly impacting the middle and lower classes.
“Inflation has been so overwhelming that it has crushed the purchasing power of white-collar workers and the middle class,” Mir added.
He also criticized the government’s failure to introduce any encouraging policies to help provide relief to the public, making shopping during the festival even more difficult for many.
In the first two weeks of Ramadan, shoppers largely stayed away from markets, which only saw a surge in activity during the last 10 days of the month. However, despite the bustling atmosphere in markets, the overall shopping situation remained lackluster.
Most Eid purchases were limited to affordable ready-made garments, shoes, handbags, toys, hosiery, artificial jewelry, and other low-cost decoration items, primarily for women and children. Many shoppers, despite their wishes, opted for limited purchases due to financial constraints, according to Mir.
Traders in over 200 prominent commercial areas of Karachi were hopeful for the traditional Eid shopping rush, but ultimately, the demand was not as expected.
Mir also noted the ongoing security concerns in the city, with a disorganized traffic system and continued exploitation by parking mafias. “Traffic management was chaotic, and parking fees were extorted by the mafia,” he said.
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