People exchange flowers to express a range of emotions and florists and flower shops always anticipate a good business ahead some special occasions such as Valentine’s Day and Eid. But last Eidul Azha brought no profit to florists and flower shops in Islamabad since the business was slow in the Eid holidays. Talking to Pakistan Today on Friday, various flower sellers said that most of their customers remained busy in the Eid sacrifices and distributing meat. Hameed Qureshi, a flower seller at the Jinnah Super Market told this scribe that he had to face a big loss. He said he had bought a huge supply of flowers which withered and decayed since he could not sell it. “Almighty Allah has blessed my wife and me with a son after fiver daughters. Now he is five. I had promised him that I would bye him a tricycle after Eid. I was hoping for a big profit but to no avail. Now I go home late so that he might be asleep by then. I can’t face my son because I couldn’t keep my promise,” Qureshi added. Pointing towards a boy at a stall next to his, Qurush said, “Jumma Khan, however, had a good business. He had put up a stall at a local cemetery where many people had come to visit the graves of their loved ones.” “I had set up my stall there a day before Eid for the convenience of people, since most of them would visit cemeteries right after Fajr prayers. And people there won’t hassle over price because they are there to pay their respects to their departed loved ones,” Juma Khan explained secret behind his success. There are two beautifully decorated flower stores and florist shops at the Super and Jinnah Super markets. Many people buy flowers and bouquets from these markets. Now when the Eid holidays are over and the market life is getting back to normal, Hameed Qureshi is planned anew to buy a tricycle for his son. This times his eyes are set on Valentine’s Day celebrations.
