Rawalpindi : The tall claims of the local administration have dashed to the ground as consumers visiting Ramazan Sasta Bazaars even after 16th Ramazan could hardly find fresh vegetables, fruits, and other eatables. The prices of the eatables are also not much different from the ones sold in the open market.
The local administration has established ‘Sasta Bazaars’ near Iqbal Park Shamsabad, Committee Chowk, Haideri Chowk, Chungi No.22, Adiala Road, Chur Chowk, Chakri Road and Gulzar-e-Quaid.
It has been observed that only 15 to 20 per cent of consumers approach ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ while 30 per cent of people approach government-run utility stores. The majority of consumers seem interested in buying subsidized sugar and ghee from utility stores and low price vegetables, fruits, and sugar from ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’. Only 5 per cent of consumers could buy subsidized sugar and ghee from stores and ‘sasta bazaars’ and others turn back empty-handed on regular basis.
Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Captain (r) Anwar-ul-Haq while talking to ‘The News’ said he has directed all stallholders to provide fresh items at lower prices at ‘Ramazan Bazaars’. “The farmers are directly bringing vegetables and fruits in ‘Sasta Bazaar’,” he claimed. “We are continuously taking strict action against profiteers and hoarders at the open market,” he claimed.
According to the citizens, the bazaars established in the city have failed to deliver any relief to the masses and could not attract consumers. Most of the people were also complaining about sub-standard food items at the Satsa Bazaars. Whereas the USC subsidize shops have insufficient stock of sugar and ghee.
The consumers named Muhammad Mukhtar, Nasir Iqbal, Noshaba Akhtar, Naseem Bibi, Shazia Mumtaz, Adil Rashid, Muhammad Noman, Rab Nawaz, Faqir Muhammad, Sakina Bibi, Nahid Batool, Shabana Irshad and others said that the government is relying on cheap publicity rather than providing relief to the public. Government should distribute relief package in open market shops so that consumers could easily buy subsidized items from open market shops, they said.