You often have witnessed hairdressers sitting under trees, on greenbelts, outside shops, near markets and at open places in different cities. The residential sectors of the federal capital Islamabad also have a large number of open air hairdressers now. Even, the ‘Red Zone’ of the capital city also have open air hairdressers now.
These hairdressers have a single chair and small mirror and with a bag carrying necessary equipment for shave, hair cutting machine, scissors, few towels and other items reach their destinations at about 9:00 to 10:00am and leave before evening. They stay is also dependent on the current weather of the day and prevailing situation. During winter, they wrap up their job till ‘Asar’ prayers and in summer season, they stay at the till late evening and sometimes till late night.
They roadside hairdressers include elderly people, expert in their profession and youngsters who recently learnt the hair cutting skills. The recompense received by them also depends on their expertise and professionalism.
However, the recompense received by these hairdressers is much less than those running salons and barber shops established in markets.
In the prevailing of inflation, the citizens with low income consider these roadside open hairdressing shops a blessing from them.
According to a citizen Mehtab Ahmed, he had to pay Rs400 to Rs500 for hair cutting and make his beard which is high cost for a him having a daily earning upto Rs1300.
He said that he now visits the roadside hairdressers and acquires the same services by paying one Rs230 to Rs250 which is affordable for him and other people having low income.
Owner of a saloon when questioned about their rates against the roadside hairdressers said, “We have to pay high rents of shops, electric bills and other charges every month. Those sitting by roadside don’t have any such expenditures therefore the charge customers less than saloons.”
