Price control committee fails to check rates of food items

Rawalpindi Prices of all kitchen items particularly vegetables, ghee, sugar, pulses, cooking oil, tea, milk, yogurt and several other items have witnessed a sharp increase during last one month as price magistrates of city district government, Rawalpindi, have literally forgotten their role of visiting markets to check rates thus giving a free hand to profiteers to loot public with both hands. While, meat-sellers have increased the price of mutton and beef by their own selling it on skyrocketing prices but government machinery from top to bottom seeing the whole drama with closed eyes in this regard. 

Public has demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan for taking suo moto action against skyrocketing prices of food items because butchers are selling 1-kilogram mutton at Rs800 to Rs900, beef at Rs450 to Rs500, onion at Rs80, tomato at Rs100, cabbage at Rs80, cucumber at Rs60, potato at Rs40 and 1-kilogram ghee and cooking oil at Rs180 to Rs200. The milkmen are selling milk and yogurt in their own prices that 1-liter milk selling at Rs90 to Rs110 and yogurt at Rs100 to Rs110. One dozen eggs are selling at Rs95 to Rs110.

The concerned authorities have literally failed to address public grievances for a long time but bosses did not have time to consider these issues. Price fluctuation was continuously disturbing family’s kitchen budget which pushed commoners in the state of tension.

The poor consumers are strongly protesting in front of utility stores on daily basis as all USC outlets are without sugar, pulses and utility ghee and cooking oil for months. Majority of public wanted to visit USC outlet only to save some coins but there was nothing in the stores.

“On daily basis, I bought ghee of Rs20, 2-kilogram ‘atta’, a tea packet of Rs10, sugar of Rs20, red chilli of Rs20, tomato of Rs10, onion of Rs10 to prepare one time meal but now shopkeepers denying to provide me food items at this price,” Sajida Bibi, a poor lady told ‘The News’ here on Saturday.

The survey also revealed that during the period a 20-kilogram wheat flour bag is being sold at different prices between Rs785 to Rs900. Rice is being sold at the rate of Rs140 per kilogram in retail shops during the period. Similarly, prices of bread, bun and rusk have sharply jumped during last one month. The small bread is being sold for Rs60 and 250-gram rusks are being sold for Rs150. The impact of the rising prices is being felt both by buyers and sellers. While buyers find many commodities getting out of their reach, sellers complain sharp decline in their sales.

Secretary Market Committee Nazar Hussain told ‘The News’ that they were trying to control price fluctuation in markets. The concerned price magistrates are continuously visiting markets to arrest profiteers and hoarders, he said. “We issue price list on daily basis and shopkeepers are bound to sell all items according to the list, he warned.

Muhammad Hameed, a poor man said that government was not concentrating to control ever-increasing price hike on food items. The profiteers are taking full advantage of it and not maintained rates in markets, to control inflation. Therefore common man is facing record price hike for one month, he denounced. 

Bushra Tehsin, a poor lady, said that it seems there is no government writ in the society. Shopkeepers are selling kitchen items according to their will. When any consumer asks about the city district government rate list, the enraged and rigid shopkeepers misbehave with them, she added.

Consumer have expressed concern over the increase in prices and urged the authorities concerned to rein in ever-increasing price hike.