Life becomes tough as prices of eatables soar

Rawalpindi:As the cost of living is rising sharply with each passing day, the life of the common man is fast becoming difficult and tough due to ‘Man Made’ inflation everywhere. Prices of potatoes, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and all kinds of vegetables went up further by 30 to 40 per cent in a week.

In fact, this seems to be an artificial and manmade inflation due to the mismanagement of the local administration, Rawalpindi. The sellers were fearlessly looting the public and earning over 100 per cent profit on all items.

The first time, the chicken sellers refused to obey the price list of the local administration and sold chicken at exorbitant prices for three days. The concept of establishing ‘Sasta Bazaars’ or ‘Weekly Bazaars’ has completely vanished here in Rawalpindi city and cantonment board localities which has allowed profiteers and hoarders to not only loot consumers but misbehave with them too. The concept of ‘Special Price Magistrates’ has also ended all around which has also resulted in the phenomenon that there was no fixed price of items here in the open market.

In the old days, local management was continuously establishing ‘Weekly Bazaars’ also called ‘Sasta Bazaars’ at the government level in the routine. Government-level ‘Sasta Bazaars’ had broken the back of profiteers and hoarders at that time. But, it was surprising that’s why present bosses were not bothering about public grievances. The public has become a rolling stone and crying for relief but local management is still busy in photo sessions or enjoying the protocol.

‘The News’ conducted a market survey that potatoes are the cheapest vegetable and easily available at Rs20 to Rs25 per kilogram. But, this vegetable has increased its rates by Rs40 to Rs60 in a week from Rs90 to Rs130 to Rs150. Onion has increased its prices by Rs30 in a week from Rs90 to Rs120 per kilogram. The price of potatoes has increased from Rs120 to Rs150 in a week from Rs50 to Rs170 to Rs200 while some people were selling one kilogram of tomato at Rs220.

Similarly, ginger and garlic are being sold at skyrocketing prices as every shopkeeper was selling it at his will. All vegetables were being sold at skyrocketing prices because sellers were earning over 100 per cent profit, thanks to the local administration, Rawalpindi for its mismanagement.

The situation was not different at all other shops like mutton and beef shops, chicken shops, general stores, bakeries, milk shops, fruit shops, sweets shops, and hotels and there was no price mechanism all around the city.

Talking to ‘The News’ the citizens of the city have demanded that the Punjab government deploy a monitoring team here in Rawalpindi because bosses and profiteers/boarders are dealing with all issues with cooperation. The concerned management was dealing with all issues in a friendly way which was good for bosses, not the public, people strongly protested.