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Pak Chronicle Report
Rawalpindi
Valentine Day was also celebrated in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on Thursday (February 14) by a few lovebirds and people have been either defending or criticizing it on social media throughout the day.
Celebrating of Valentine Day is comparatively a new trend which was largely introduced when social media made its presence felt over here. However, by and large it is not considered an event which is liked by many due to deep religious and cultural norms. Mostly it is believed that Valentine Day is an event of western culture and purely un-Islamic tradition.
There were some social media activists who posted their posts on Facebook in which either they opposed or defended the culture of celebrating Valentine Day. Majority of them were opposing it but there were some persons who defended it too on the social media. Both these groups had their own reasons and logic behind their arguments.
Apart from social media there were some persons who were in a mood to cash this event and earn some money out of it by selling followers.
Muhammad Haneef is a follower seller and instead to participate in dialogue over social media on Valentine Day, he preferred to sell bouquets of flowers to facilitate persons who had wanted to mark this day.
He used his motorcycle to display these bouquets on footpath near a traffic signal at Liaquat Bagh, Murree Road. This is point where generally traffic remains very congested, especially during working hours and red traffic signal keeps vehicles stopped for longer duration in comparison with other traffic signals of the city. Haneef knew it well that he got a good chance of selling flowers on this specific point due traffic congestion.
On being inquired he told this scribe that selling follower bouquets on the occasion of Valentine Day is not as profitable as it was four or five years ago.
“In half an hour I sold only one bouquet of flowers, consisting of only red roses. I am charging Rs230 for a bouquet and there are not many customers which it thought they would be.” he stated.
Haneef and his family owns a flower shop at Commercial Market, Rawalpindi. He said that till 2014 selling of bouquets of flowers was a very lucrative business. According to him in those days from February 12 to 14 every year he and his brothers used to sell around Rs300,000 worth of followers. “Gradually the trend of buying bouquets of flower is declining on February 14 but still it is good business that’s why I am here and selling bouquets.
He believed that people have become smart enough nowadays as they have realized that it is useless and unwanted practice. “They should spend money on other things which are more valuable,” he commented.
Celebrating Valentine Day wishing others on this occasion is believed to be something between unmarried romantic young couples over here.
People who want to mark this day by presenting followers to their sweetheart, do it very privately and at places where they wouldn’t be spotted by others.
Ends
