PESHAWAR, Aug 09 Peshawar, a historical city with nearly 3,000 years documented history, is turned green and white of national flags hoisting everywhere on occasion of the 77th independence day of Pakistan.
Looking festive, Peshawar’s all bazaars, shops, markets and vehicles have been decorated artistically with white and green colours besides national flags hoisting on top of Govt and private buildings besides vehicles, witnessing great enthusiasm especially among youth and children.
Likewise, Peshawar’s historic Qissa Khwani witnessed a substantial boom in printing of posters and national flags where businessmen were overbooked after receiving huge orders on the occasion of Jashin-e-Azadi celebrations.
Qissa Khwani’s Mohalla Jhangi, the main market of printing of posters, badges and national flags were overbooked.
Sitting on a revolving chair with focused eyes on a computer giving final touches to flags, posters and pamphlets’ designs ordered by different schools and colleges in connection with Jashin-e-Azadi, the 25-years-old printer, Anees Ali was working against the time to meet the placed order.
Unaware of the Chappli Kabab and Peshawari Kahwa placed on right side of his computer table in two room office at City Tower of Mohallah Jhangi became cold, the motivated Karak born Khattak, who was busy like a honey bee told APP that Jashin-e-Azadi has brought smile on faces of hundred of thousands of printers, publishers, advertisers and graphic designers.
“Most of printers are overworked these days and more orders were accepted only on big profit margins.” Approximately 50,000 people including 4,000 printers, publishers and graphic designers are directly or indirectly associated with this business in Peshawar who started earning maximum capital,” he said.
Graduated in BS Computer Science from University of Peshawar, he said, “the response of the general public especially youth and children on this Jashin Azadi was unprecedented. “We have engaged extra labourers, who worked till late night to meet people’s demands.”
“Many printers and publishers having a quality printing machines’ setup and skilled labourers received heavy orders to the tune of Rs 5 million to Rs10 million that sparked patriotism among children.”
He said that extra printing materials were imported from China and Indonesia besides Lahore and Faisalabad to fulfill the customers pressing demands.
Jashin-e-Azadi fever had gripped KP where all bazaars, markets and shopping arcades flooded with national flags, banners, stickers, models of historical buildings and portraits of the heroes of Independence Movement.
“I came from Nowshera to paint my face with national flag by an expert artist to look different on Independence Day,” Sidra Khan, a girl of Nowshera decorating her face and hands with green and white colours at Liaqat Bazar Peshawar Cantonment told APP.
Accompanied by her father, she said that she purchased 500 badges, stickers and posters for brothers, sisters, relatives and school fellows to celebrate independence day with great pomp and show.
“I will come again with my family to watch flag hoisting ceremony at Peshawar and national anthem by police bands,” she said.
Asghar Afridi, a vendor shopkeeper of Khyber selling decorative items for children including green toys , pressures horns, hats, masks, spectacles, bangles, flags, badges and models of historical buildings of Pakistan Movement said that he rushed to Peshawar after seeing overwhelming response of youth and children in decorative toys and stuff on TV.
“I disposed of all stock ahead of Independence day and my father has visited Lahore to bring more stuff by this evening to earn maximum profit here,” he said, adding last year I had earned Rs100,000 against Rs150, 000 during this Jashn-e-Azadi.
Besides printing orders of national flags, posters, advertisements, graphics designing, promotional cards, stickers, badges, billboards, panaflex and souvenirs from government departments, private organizations, educational institutions and civil society, the Peshawar based printers, publishers and graphic designers also made roaring business in KP where Jashn-e-Azadi materials were being sold like a hot cake.
“KP printers and publishers mostly rely on Punjab for printing materials after closure of Charsadda and Mardan paper mills. The transportation and electricity cost increased prices of finished goods,” Anis admitted.
Zafar Khan Khattak, President All Printers and Publishers Association KP told APP that Peshawar based printers and publishers have earned great profits in posters and national flags after a boom was witnessed during Independence Day celebrations.
Substantial printing orders of national flags and green stickers/badges have been received from merged tribal districts including South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurrum, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur for Jashin-e-Azadi, he added.
Zafar Khattak said printers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had pinned high hopes on Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Rashakai being built under China Pakistan Economic Corridors (CPEC) and Economic Zones where establishment of printers and papers units would not only open up new vistas of investment and employment opportunities for youth.
The printing industry in other districts could flourish in KP only, if we have the required expertise, quality manpower and a mechanism to control prices of papers and inflation as for printing materials besides government patronage.
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