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As Eid approaches, families in Rawalpindi are facing soaring prices for flowers, incense sticks, rose water and grave coverings traditionally used during cemetery visits, deepening public frustration over worsening inflation and civic neglect. The sharp rise in prices has added financial pressure on citizens already struggling with the country's economic crisis, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, despite the inflated costs, residents continue to purchase floral petals and ceremonial items to pay respects to deceased relatives during Eid. Temporary stalls and pushcarts have appeared outside nearly all 55 graveyards across the city, with vendors anticipating heavy demand during the holiday period. Market surveys show that flower petals are now selling for nearly Rs500 per kilogramme, while decorative floral sheets placed on graves have climbed to around Rs1,400 each. Bottles of rose water and packets of incense sticks are also being sold at approximately Rs200 apiece. Citizens complained that even simple religious and cultural traditions are becoming increasingly unaffordable amid unchecked inflation. In addition to rising market prices, grave caretakers and labourers have reportedly increased fees for cleaning burial sites and restoring earthen graves. Families now have to pay nearly Rs500 for basic maintenance work at cemeteries, further intensifying concerns over the growing commercialisation of mourning practices. Residents have also criticised local authorities over the worsening condition of graveyards throughout the city. Several citizens alleged that many cemeteries have been ignored for months, with overgrown bushes, wild vegetation and even cannabis plants spreading unchecked across burial grounds, as cited by The Express Tribune. In some areas, dense growth reaching up to four feet has made movement difficult and obscured graves from visitors. The worsening state of cemetery maintenance has triggered anger among residents, who argue that authorities have failed to preserve even the most sacred public spaces, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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