PESHAWAR
The centuries- old tradition of sending Eid cards to the loved ones on Eidul Fitr has been replaced by the electronic cards (E Cards) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to mashroom growth of information technology and digital media in Pakistan.
Qissa Khwani bazaar’s mohallah Jahangi with plenty of printing eid cards’ shops, have been converted into books, computers and shoe shops courtesy to the speedy growth of information and digital technology in last two decades in Pakistan.
The Eid card sellers in the past had arranged many stalls at different areas of Peshawar including Hastnagri, Karimpura, Goara Bazar, Liaquat Bazaar, Jehangi mohallah and Qissa Khawani Bazaar to attract customers on Eid, however this practice have started dying due to E cards’ culture.
The people exchange E cards with heartfelt messages among relatives, friends and loved ones through social media services such as Facebook and WhatsApp on the eve of Eidul Fitre.
However, with introduction of IT technology, people prefer shortcut method of sending wishes and greetings through E-cards, SMS, Facebook and Whatsapp messages instead of sending traditional Eid cards through post offices and courier services as they consider it expensive and time consuming exercise.
Zahid Khan, a computer engineer told APP on Sunday that most of people lacked time to go to shop and buy old fashioned eid cards and then send it to friends and relatives through expansive courier services.
He said the social media tools were an effective way to send a nice E cards to all friends and relatives to congratulate them on joys occasion of Eidul Fitre in a single click.
He said prayers for someone was most important than sending Eid cards, adding money spend on Eid cards can be donated to poor people and orphans to include them in our joy.
Electronic cards give us an option to edit text and modify background besides an addition of animation of choice as such cards are liked especially by youngsters who are quick to adopt new technologies , he explained.
He said charges of postal and courier services also increased, which was behind purchasing power of poor people and white collars.
Zahid said he would deliver E cards through WhatsApp to all my friends, well wishers and relatives on Eid day.
The shops of Eid cards have also cut down at historic Liaquat bazaar in Peshawar cantt for which it was once famous for.
Eid card sellers said that PTI Govt poor printing policies and price hike have badly affected their business and urged the government to announce special relief package for them.
The book sellers and gift owners at Liauqat Bazaar said the trend of buy eid cards had significantly declined due to SMS, 3 and 4 G, WhatsApp and Facebook services.
They said that majority of shopkeepers associated with decades old Eid cards business have said good bye to it.
Anees Khattak, who is running a printing unit at Jahangi mohallah said that the printing industry was affected first by coronavirus and later by price hike in KP.
He said KP printers and publishers were mostly rely on Punjab for printing materials after closure of Charsadda and Mardan paper mills.
The transportation and electricity cost has also contributed to an increase in prices of finished goods and Eid cards, he said.
Zafar Khan Khattak, President All Printers and Publishers Association KP told APP that Peshawar based printers and publishers have earned great profits from printing of cards in the past on occasions of Eidul Fitre.
He said the printers of Qissa Khwani had received heavy printing orders of Eid cards in the past from merged tribal districts including South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurrum, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur, however great decline was witnessed in last few years in this regard.
He said the printing industry could flourish in Peshawar only, if we have the required expertise, quality manpower and a mechanism to control prices of papers and inflation besides government patronage was required to help poor printers.
He urged the KP government to announce a comprehensive financial package for revival of printing press industry and providing assistance to the jobless workers under BISP programme.
