Kitchen items get costlier as inflation goes haywire

Islamabad: The present hike in the US dollar rate is termed a virtual bombshell for the masses because prices of all eatables and other routine items have jumped in the last two days.

All Pakistan Traders Association (Punjab) President Sharjeel Mir expressing concerns on the present situation told ‘The News’ that all political leaders should impose an ‘economic emergency’ in the country immediately otherwise public will come on the roads. The present hike in the US dollar rate is a virtual bombshell to the public because prices of all items have jumped too much. A common man has literally failed to purchase kitchen items but all political parties as per routine fighting each other rather facilitate masses, he denounced.

A market survey conducted by ‘The News’ revealed that prices of all eatable or routine items have increased within two days. The price of a 900-gram tea pack has increased by Rs300 from Rs1450 to Rs1750, rice by Rs80 from Rs290 to Rs370 per kilogram, and all pulses by Rs20 to Rs40 per kilogram. A 50-kilogram sugar bag is being sold at Rs4500 against Rs4100 in the wholesale market on Saturday.

The price of Daal Chana increased by Rs28 per kilogram and selling at Rs240 against Rs212 per kilogram, Daal Mash is selling at Rs380 against Rs340 per kilogram, Daal Moong is selling at Rs260 against Rs230, Daal Masoor is selling at Rs240 against Rs220, white chickpeas are selling at Rs370 against Rs340 and 1-kilogram Red beans are selling at Rs370 against Rs340.

Similarly, branded companies have increased the prices of washing powders by Rs60 per kilogram in two days and selling one-kilogram washing powder at Rs540 against Rs480, 900-gram dry milk (for children) is selling at Rs3750 against Rs3150, 1-liter milk pack is selling at Rs230 against Rs200, ghee and cooking oil carton is selling at Rs2550 against Rs2300, pamper packet is selling at Rs1920 against Rs1850, dish wash is selling at Rs210 against Rs190, shoe polish (small) is selling at Rs185 against Rs120, soap is selling at Rs125 against Rs110, shampoo is selling at Rs330 against Rs280, toothpaste (small) is selling at Rs160 against Rs130 and a biscuit pack is selling at Rs217 against Rs163.

One kilogram of LPG is selling for over Rs300 against Rs204. The rupee continued its downward slide while gold reached Rs200,000 per tola level for the first time in the country’s history.

The rupee’s free-fall came as the government ended its control on its price in order to revive the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme. With the latest drop, the domestic currency has cumulatively slumped by 12% or Rs31.71 in the past two days.

Talking to ‘The News’ people belonging to all walks of life protested against ever-increasing inflation in the country and appealing all political parties to come closer to impose an ‘economic emergency’. Muhammad Mushtaq, Shazia Minhas, Tanvir Ahmed, Riaz Ahmed, Muhammad Fazal, Samina Ahmed, Bilal Hussain, Wasif Chaudhry, and several others stood in front of a Utility Store Corporation (USC) and said God knows better than where the country’s economy was going. They said that it was difficult to fulfil the requirements of three times meals but all political parties as per routine are fighting each other rather resolve public grievances.