KARACHI: As time approached to break the longest fast of the year, on June 21, plastic mats were quickly spread out in front of footpaths at the Numaish Chowrangi, where people from all walks of life, and who happened to be in transit, gathered to choose from a huge variety of iftari available there on Tuesday.

Other than the grown-ups there were many children as well as elderly waiting for the iftari to be served. Private security guards, city wardens, traffic police personnel, rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose job requires them to stay on the roads, common people and beggars crowded the sides of the roads as soon as the pick-up with cauldrons of biryani pulled up. The air filled with the aroma of fresh pakora, samosa and jalebi.

In one corner, Jafaria Disaster Management Cell (JDC) Welfare Organisation volunteers fried savoury items. In another there was the Edhi Foundation camp preparing thaals of fruit and other if tar stuff. Across the road outside KGA Gymkhana the Awaz Dastarkhwan was also spread out as the other big-hearted organisations such as Chhipa and Saylani served from theirrespective centres situated at the corners.

Asked how they felt or if the longest fast on June 21 brought up extra challenges or difficulties during the day, Farhat Bibi smiled and said that she felt just like she did any other day of Ramazan. `Only the first roza is somewhat difficult to keep. We soon become used to the rest, which follow,` she said.

Another woman, who didn`t feel comfortable sharing her name, said she was travelling home by public bus and realised that she wouldn`t reach home in time for iftar so decided to stop for something there. `It is so nice surrounded by so much goodwill at this time and I thank my God and pray for these people spreading His blessings, she said.

Meanwhile, Faizan, Shoaib and Mohammad Iqbal, volunteering at the JDC tent right inside the bus stop, said that they served iftari on the usual time not 10 minutes after sunset. `Whoever wants to have it whenever is up to them, really. As for the longest fast, we haven`t noticed a change in people because of it. Everyone seems as hungry as ever for free food. And we will prepare the same amount of items we normally do,` says Faizan.

`Besides, it is only a few seconds longer than yesterday. From tomorrowthe duration will start getting less and less. It also doesn`t mean that we will prepare less food because of that,` said Shoaib.

Mohammad Iqbal observed that around 50 per cent of the people gathered at Numaish Chowrangi weren`t even fasting. `I am not fasting myself so am here to serve others and gather some blessings for myself in this holy month. But if you study closely the people coming here for iftari, you`ll notice that several among them aren`t even Muslim. Then there are little children with plastic bottles full of water. When the sherbet is ready the water in their bottles quickly disappears into their mouths so that they can refill them with cool sherbet. And all this happens before iftar,` he said smilingly. `Still we can`t stop them from coming here as half the people among them are also actually fasting.

`Then there are those, too, who come here specifically to gather a lot of food to take back home. They pounce on packets of biryani being distributed on one side, then come looking for what else they can lay their hands on. Of course, we are here to serve all so don`t mind. But when women become rowdy and block the way, it becomes quite chaotic as the men can`t get through.