Sale of Valentine’s Day roses decreased at flower market near Saggian Bridge, according to survey conducted by Pakistan Today on Saturday.
Muhammad Haseeb, who has been running his flower shop near Saggian Bridge for past 10 years, told Pakistan Today that he used to earn more than Rs 10,000 one day before the Valentine’s Day as his flowers were sent to the other cities as well. He told this scribe that his sale of roses decreased to mere Rs 3,000 because people think that a ban can be imposed in Lahore. Haseeb, who was busy in making special roses for the Valentine’s Day and was wrapping them in a very clean manner with a hope of selling, was not sure that he would earn a handsome amount on Sunday.
Another rose dealer Shehzad Ahmad told Pakistan Today that he earns a good amount by giving his services to the marriage functions but the sale of flowers for Valentine’s Day has decreased in past some years. “There used to be a time when we used to supply our special roses in different cities and even in other provinces for Valentine’s Day but those golden days have been gone,” he said. Shehzad added that the extremist forces are trying to snatch this day of festivity by using different arguments. The area near Saggian Bridge is known as suitable for the growth of flowers and hundreds of flowers gardens can be found there.
The roses are supplied all over the country from this area and the markets are flooded with customers in marriage season and on Valentine’s Day.
Muhammad Zahid, who runs a flower shop near the Punjab University, said that he is not expecting customers in great numbers on Valentine’s Day due to multiple reasons. He said that most of his potential customers were from the university and this year the Valentine’s Day would come on a day when university would be closed due to Sunday. Citing another reason for a decline in his sale, he said that people fear a ban on the day as the festival has been banned in some parts of KP.
The decorated roses are being sold out in the city ranging from Rs 20 to 50 by depending on their quality at different flowers shops.
It is pertinent to mention here that President Mamnoon Hussain has urged the nation not to celebrate Valentine’s Day as this day has no connection with the culture of Pakistan. An embargo has been imposed in some districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to mark the day of love. Although, there is no such bar in Lahore to celebrate the day but the sale of roses has been decreased manifold as compared to previous years.
