Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Asim |
| 02/15/01 at 11:59:35 |
| Assalaamu alaikum, I thought this was funny. It also shows how popular valentine's day has become in Pakistan. Ten years ago nobody knew what valentine's day was all about. Now it is a big event in cities like Lahore, thanks to satellite TV. --------------------------- LAHORE: Roses are for the rich NAVAID RASHID LAHORE, Feb 14: A red rose is the most valuable gift one can give to his beloved on the Valentine's Day. Valuable all right. But it is the price of the rose that poses problems. At any flower shop in the city one can get a bunch of roses with a dozen flowers for Rs 20 or 25 on a normal day. But on Valentine's Day, this price goes up to Rs 400 per dozen. A survey of the city markets on the eve of Valentine's Day (Feb 13) showed a sharp increase in the prices. Ordinary roses in other colours were available at a slightly lower rate. But even their prices were increased appreciably. But red roses are the symbol of Valentine's Day and were available at very high prices. So only the rich can really afford to present flowers or bouquets to their beloveds. The middle classes can just make ample use of words or go pluck a flower from some park or somebody's garden to please their loved ones. Some people also give just one flower to their friends. But some florists refuse to sell just a single flower. And those who sell were charging as much as Rs 25 per rose with transparent plastic wrapped around it and a small red ribbon. On a normal day a whole bunch of flowers is available at the same rate and the florist admitted that the prices would be back to normal in just one day. So flowers are now as expensive as other Valentine Day's gift. No wonder, therefore, some of the young people were seen at the flower shops outside the city graveyards. Probably the flowers there were less expensive. Or perhaps they decided to shower rose petals on their beloveds. http://www.dawn.com/2001/02/15/local12.htm |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Saleema |
| 02/20/01 at 10:57:51 |
| Astaghferullah! They are celebrating valentines' day while there are poor afghans trying to come into Pakistan to earn some bread or to BEG for some bread? If you want to celebrate it, at least celebrate it with showing LOVE to the afghans by giving them some blankets! To Allah we belong and to Him will we return |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| bhaloo |
| 02/20/01 at 11:41:44 |
| slm This satellite dish has brought destruction to the people of Pakistan. People just sit glued to the TV all day long watching really bad shows like Baywatch and who knows what else. Unfortunately I was in Karachi one new year's day and there were all these drunk guys out in the middle of street in the Clifton section. |
| NS |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Asim |
| 02/20/01 at 12:52:21 |
| Assalaamu alaikum, Yes, it is really sad. I don't know how many of you are familiar with the basant festival in Lahore. It is a hindu festival where they celebrate the arrival of spring. In Lahore, this is a HUGE occasion with billions and billions spent on parties, kites, and what not. Rooftops are crowded with dancing men and women (in yellow dresses), loud music, and even occasional gun firings. Many people die and hundreds are injured when they fall from rooftops, get electrocuted when kites get entangled with power lines, get hit by cars and stray bullets, etc. I was talking to my father a couple of days ago and he mentioned some business man was spending 2.5 million rupess on this day. Such extravagance, it is unbelievable! And there are millions of people in Pakistan who don't get two meal a day. And Muslims in Afghanistan are dying from hunger and cold. This whole basant thing is increasing in intenstiy every year. This year it got official status with government support. Another thing, all the materials used for kite making are imported! Who said Pakistan is a poor country with little foreign exchange? It is just sickening. Wasalaam. |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Arsalan |
| 02/20/01 at 19:05:29 |
| [slm] [quote]This year it got official status with government support.[/quote]Hmm ... what is this all about? |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Tarar |
| 02/20/01 at 21:47:04 |
| Asalaam O' alaikum "Another thing, all the materials used for kite making are imported " 90% of imoprted thread used in kite flying was from India and it was not imported, was smuggled. wasalaam Tarar |
| Re: Roses are for the Rich |
|---|
| Asim |
| 02/21/01 at 00:02:57 |
| Assalaamu alaikum, [quote] 90% of imoprted thread used in kite flying was from India and it was not imported, was smuggled. [/quote] It still requires money, foreign exchange! A country that imports basics like wheat cannot afford to waste money on absurd traditions. Also, I have heard that the paper is imported/smuggled from beyond the subcontinent, like Germany and Japan. Here is a news item from Dawn. This will answer your question, Arsalan. THE FESTIVAL: The 24-hour long Basant festival which began here with unprecedented enthusiasm on Saturday night concluded at sunset on Sunday with massive show of fireworks. The official patronage this year attracted guests from other cities and abroad who flew kites and enjoyed traditional local food. The gala which entertained millions created problems for others. Power and water supply remained almost suspended for over 24 hours. People faced a lot of inconvenience and those who could not store water had to fetch it from other places. Arrangements by police and district administration and the arrest of the hooligans discouraged aerial firing.Though there was curbs on flying kites with metal wire, a main source of disrupting power supply, people did not care. The celebrations started soon after sunset on Saturday all over Lahore. Every vehicle appeared to be moving towards the waiting main city which remained the hub of the activity. All foreign guests, including members of the world's Young Presidents' Association (APO), diplomats and those invited by the Anti-narcotics Force were extended a security cover. Rang Mahal's Parking Plaza reserved by the ANF, Mian Yousuf Salahuddin's Barood Khana haveli and Delhi Gate's Shahi Hamam where officials of foreign drug enforcement agencies, diplomats, members of the YPO and top military and civil officers celebrated Basant were the main attractions. There were tight security arrangements and the gatherings were restricted to selected people. PPP leaders and several diplomats and their families celebrated Basant at the Lohari Gate residence of a party's former Punjab council member. They included PPP Secretary GeneralJahangir Badr, Khalid Kharal, Naveed Chaudhry and Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan. The diplomats included Indian High Commissioner Vijay Nambiar and the American consulate. The streets of of the Walled city witnessed an unprecedented rush. Tourists having no arrangement to climb a rooftop roamed streets. Foreign media teams covered the event extensively. All hotels were booked to the capacity and many had to return after a few hours for lack of accommodation. The guests not only enjoyed traditional food at the residences of their hosts but they also tasted it in the streets. The additional supply of meat, milk, fruit, vegetables and other eatables proved too inadequate to meet the demand. Halva puri were sold out much before the arrival of many locals. Naan shops worked overtime to offer a round the clock service. Basant parties were also held at major hotels in the city and at the residences of film actors. One such party was held at the Faisal Town residence of actress Shahida Mini in collaboration with Fatimid. Police contingents were detailed atop buildings to locate anybody firing in the air or indulging in hooliganism. Officers of the district administration and senior police officers also roamed about the city to maintain law and order. The arrival of so many guests in the Walled City created parking problems and traffic police remained on duty till Sunday evening to regulate traffic. http://www.dawn.com/2001/02/19/top12.htm Read the full news item at the above link. It also describes the deaths and injuries. Really sad. Wasalaam. |
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author.The rest © Jannah.Org |