Pakistanis celebrate Ramadan with traditional food, night sports скачать в хорошем качестве

Pakistanis celebrate Ramadan with traditional food, night sports

(10 Jul 2015) LEAD IN: During Ramadan, Pakistan's cities come alive after dark. People shop at night markets for traditional food - and some even find the energy to play sport before sunrise. STORY-LINE: Rawalpindi's 'food street' is a busy place at night during Ramadan. Crowds of people queue to buy food and drink for Sehri, a pre-dawn meal, from the many shops and stalls on offer. The food street, located in the city's main bazaar, comes alive after dark - visitors head here after they've finished saying Taraweeh, the special Ramadan nighttime prayers. One vendor sells the traditional drink, Lassi, made from a mixture of yogurt and water. Mohsin Kaleem has come from nearby Islamabad to enjoy the atmosphere - and fill his stomach. "My friend and I came from Islamabad city especially to eat Sehri, because you know it is Sunday and we will get up late. We came here for Sehri, to drink Lassi, eat Nihari (beef or lamb stew), Paay (beef leg curry). Especially we are here to enjoy traditional food." The sun sets in Islamabad, and people gather to eat Iftar after a long day of fasting, followed by Taraweeh prayers. But this is only the start of the night's activities for some. Groups of energetic young Pakistanis gather to play sport after they've finished their prayers - football and cricket are particularly popular. Umer Bangash, a 22-year-old college student, says playing football at night is part of his usual Ramadan routine. "After Iftar I pray Taraweeh and then come to the pitch to play. In the day time, while fasting, we can't play, we feel tired on such hot days. So we organise this football tournament at night every year," he says. Zain Saleem, another football player, says the night games give talented local boys the chance to practice their skills. "I can't play in the day time during Ramadan, so at home I recite the Holy Quran and I pray to spend time. So this is a good activity at night, these types of activities should be held in Islamabad. A lot of talent is here and boys get a good chance to play." Elsewhere in Islamabad, this street has been commandeered as a cricket pitch. One of the young cricketers, Ali Hassnain, says playing sport is a good way to pass the time at night. "During fasting in the daytime we can't play, so all the boys who are free from their work in the evening and at night, we play cricket here to pass the time until Sehri, then we go to sleep, then go to our jobs in the morning." After a good sports workout and a hearty Sehri pre-dawn meal, most Pakistanis go to bed and get up in the afternoon to go to work. The overwhelming majority of Pakistan's 190 million people are Muslim. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...