Roti, naan being sold higher than official rates

LAHORE:Flouting the directives of the CM, hotels and restaurants of the provincial capital are selling roti/naan at prices higher than the official ones.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was very keen in the implementation of price of roti/naan across the province but she may not know that her own decision was not implemented by hotels and restaurants in the provincial capital.

As per the notification issued by the government, the price of roti/naan in the jurisdiction of Lahore is Rs16 and Rs20, respectively. It is pertinent to mention that the city district administration has not taken this issue seriously and allegedly no action has so far been taken against this violation and their target was only the small tandoors.

During a survey by The News, it was revealed that majority of the hotels and restaurants in the provincial capital were selling roti at Rs20 to Rs30 and Naan/Khamiri Roti at Rs50 to Rs55. It was revealed that restaurants and hotels in posh localities were selling roti/naan higher than the prices mentioned above.

It seemed that the district administration has given a free hand to the food spots, hotels and restaurants at the localities, where the notified price of roti/naan was not implemented, included Johar Town, PIA Road, Faisal Town Moon Market, Barkat Market, Gulberg (Main Market, Kasuri Road and MM Alam Road), The Mall, Garhi Shahu, Allama Iqbal Town (different blocks), Sabzaar Main Road, Multan Road and etc.

It was also revealed that many restaurants and hotels have adopted a novel idea to dodge the government’s notified prices of roti/naan as they add the word “Special” in their menu cards and bills whereas the roti/naan was the same as available on any ordinary tandoor of the city.

When asked, a restaurant owner on PIA Road said that he was not selling roti to the customers who only come to buy roti. He said he was selling roti at Rs25 and Naan at Rs50 to customers who dine in.

Another hotel manager at Allama Iqbal Town Main Boulevard claimed that the notified prices of roti/naan were not applicable on restaurants and hotels and were only for local tandoors who only sell roti/naan to the citizens.

On the other hand, citizens asked the CM to immediately end this discrimination and ensure that the price of roti/naan should be the same at every place. Many citizens also complained that the restaurants and hotels refused to give roti/naan to them unless they order something else with the order.

It is pertinent to mention here that The News has repeatedly tried to reach Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider to get her view on the issue if restaurants and hotels are exempted from the notified price.

The News also sent a bill of a restaurant on which the exaggerated price of roti was mentioned to the DC and asked her to clear the ambiguity but she didn’t reply. A reminder was also sent to her but again she didn’t respond. Similarly, The News sent the same restaurant’s bill and question to the Lahore commissioner but he didn’t reply.

When contacted, Chief Minister Price Control Taskforce Chairperson Salma Butt said initially the notification was issued for general tandoors from where citizens usually get roti/naan. However, she said she will clear the ambiguity about the notification's implementation on hotels, restaurants and other food stalls after discussing it with the district administration.