Ramadan 2024 Pakistan: Markets, Relief Drives and Public Measures Shape the Month

Across Pakistan, Ramadan 2024 was marked by bustling markets and notable public- and private-sector responses to economic and social pressures. National and provincial moon-sighting committees announced the start of the month in line with tradition, while mosques across urban and rural areas resumed large taraweeh congregations and community iftars after pandemic-era disruptions had eased. Shoppers and traders reported heavy footfall at bazaars in major cities, even as staple food prices remained a key concern for households. In response, authorities intensified market monitoring and anti-hoarding operations, and provincial administrations stepped up subsidized ration distributions and targeted relief programs. Traders and consumer groups warned that continued inflation could dampen spending toward the end of the month, keeping price controls and supply-chain oversight high on policymakers’ agendas. Charitable activity intensified during the month, with traditional zakat and iftar drives complemented by growing use of mobile wallets and fintech platforms to collect and distribute donations quickly. Nonprofits and private donors scaled up food parcel deliveries and community kitchens in urban centers and flood-affected districts, while banks and payment operators highlighted spikes in digital giving compared with previous years. Public services adjusted routines to accommodate fasting communities: some government offices implemented shortened work hours, transport providers tweaked schedules, and power utilities refined load-management plans to reduce outages around sehri and iftar times. Security agencies boosted patrols near busy markets and major mosques, and health departments issued guidance on safe food handling, heat and dehydration risks for fasting individuals, and diabetes management. Observers said sustaining relief momentum beyond Ramadan will be crucial to easing long-term household pressures.