Profiteers, hoarders exploit helpless citizens

Rawalpindi : In the first week of the holy month of Ramazan, helpless citizens have been grappling with a staggering 100% increase in the prices of essential food items, particularly fruits. Despite this, the local administration remains in a deep slumber, failing to take any concrete action against profiteers and hoarders.

“If prices continue to rise at this rate, bananas could reach Rs600 per dozen, apples Rs800 per kilogram, and dates Rs1,500 per kilogram by the end of Ramazan,” concerned residents of Rawalpindi told The News on Sunday. Due to the mismanagement of the local administration, profiteers and hoarders continue to exploit the public by selling food items, especially vegetables and fruits, at exorbitant rates. As has become routine, authorities have turned a blind eye, giving free rein to market manipulators.

A market survey conducted by The News on Sunday revealed shocking price hikes. Poor-quality bananas, previously sold for Rs100 to Rs150 per dozen before Ramazan, are now priced at Rs300 to Rs350. Apples, which were available for Rs150 per kilogram, are now selling for Rs250 to Rs350. Similarly, guavas are being sold at Rs250 instead of Rs100, melons at Rs300 instead of Rs100 per kilogram, and dates have skyrocketed to Rs800 or even Rs1,000 per kilogram, up from Rs400. The situation at the three so-called ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ is no different, offering no real relief to the public. Residents of the twin cities continue to visit the Islamabad Fruit and Vegetable Market in I-11 in search of affordable produce, but profiteers and hoarders dominate even there, unchallenged by the concerned authorities. The lack of Ramazan Sasta Bazaars in Rawalpindi has only emboldened these exploiters.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Engineer Aamir Khattak, has repeatedly directed government officers to curb man-made inflation in the open market. However, officials have blatantly ignored his directives. The Commissioner has also ordered the Deputy Commissioner to take strict action against profiteers and hoarders and initiate disciplinary proceedings against negligent officers. Yet, no meaningful action has been taken. According to well-placed sources, some senior officials in the local administration advocated for setting up Ramazan Sasta Bazaars to counter price manipulation, but their efforts were in vain.

The price surge is not limited to fruits and vegetables. Butchers continue to sell mutton at Rs2,500 per kilogram and beef at Rs1,300 to Rs1,500 per kilogram. Meanwhile, milkmen have also joined the profiteering frenzy, charging Rs200 to Rs240 per litre of milk and Rs220 to Rs250 per kilogram of yogurt. A market survey found that prices of key food items, including ghee, cooking oil, gram flour, pulses, and dates, have increased by 30% to 50% since the beginning of Ramazan. Edible oil and imported cooking oil prices alone have risen by 20% to 25%. Citizens in Rawalpindi and Islamabad lament that daily essentials have become unaffordable.

Aslam Sheikh, a low-income resident, criticized the political parties for being engrossed in power struggles while ignoring the plight of the people. “Not only politicians but even the courts are witnessing this exploitation with closed eyes,” he said.

Dr. Uzma Irfan, a housewife, expressed her frustration over the rising prices. “Fruits and vegetables have become unaffordable, and the administration has completely failed to regulate prices. Where is the government? Who will provide us relief?” she questioned. She warned that if the sitting government does not act to address public grievances, it will face severe backlash in the coming days.

Muhammad Riaz, another resident, shared similar concerns. “Basic necessities have become luxury items in Ramazan. Ramazan Sasta Bazaars were the only ray of hope, but the government has not directed local authorities to set them up this year. How are we supposed to survive in this situation?” he lamented.

The unchecked profiteering and hoarding of essential commodities continue to burden the common man during Ramazan. If authorities fail

to intervene decisively, the crisis will only deepen, pushing more people towards

economic distress.