Red roses, dinner for two as Pakistanis celebrate Valentine's Day

上善若水

Red roses, dinner for two as Pakistanis celebrate Valentine's Day
RaheelaNazir




© Provided by XINHUA
A vendor prepares a heart-shaped flower bouquet at a flower shop on Valentine's Day in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Feb. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

On Valentine's Day in Pakistan, people exchange greetings, balloons, chocolates and flowers. Some dress in red. Couples pose for photographs in front of flower decorations on the street.

by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Farhan Malik, a 35-year-old entrepreneur, took in the variety of flowers at a stall in downtown Islamabad before asking the florist to wrap a bouquet of red roses for his wife.

"Flowers symbolize happiness, prosperity and romance. I believe on Valentine's Day, there is no better way to express your love, admiration and appreciation for your loved ones than through flowers," Malik told Xinhua.

© Provided by XINHUA
People buy flowers at a flower shop on Valentine's Day in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Feb. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

On Valentine's Day in Pakistan, people exchange greetings, balloons, chocolates and flowers. Some dress in red. Couples pose for photographs in front of flower decorations on the street.

Malik said he would make the day special by taking his wife out for dinner and with gifts, expressing his gratitude for the contentment and joy brought by her.

© Provided by XINHUA
A man carries roses at a flower shop on Valentine's Day in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Feb. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Days before the Valentine's Day, stalls selling flowers, chocolates and teddy bears appeared in markets across the country as vendors tried to persuade people to spend a little more on someone special. Retailers are offering bargains in clothes, shoes and jewelry. Restaurants and eateries offer special deals.

In Karachi, online retailer Kamran Khalid told Xinhua that his business had witnessed a 20-percent increase in sales.

"The day is a big one for us. We have made quite a lot this year," Khalid said.

© Provided by XINHUA
Photo taken on Feb. 14, 2022 shows heart-shaped balloons at a flower shop on Valentine's Day in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Talking to Xinhua, Iqra Mansoor, a 22-year-old student, said that while the day was full of fun, inflation and supply chain issues meant that chocolates and flowers could be hard to find, and were more expensive than usual.

"Even the high prices don't seem to deter people from buying these things ... it is not a basic necessity, but luxury spending," she said.