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Sunday July 20, 2025

Price list not being implemented in Ramazan bazaars

By Jawwad Rizvi
May 13, 2019

LAHORE: The government has failed to implement its own issued price list across the board even in specially designated Ramzan bazaars where the officials of all the departments concerned were deputed.

The government officials look busy to show performance merely on twitter. Thus the heads of administrative departments also are active on their respective official twitter accounts to show performance. Similarly, the district commissioner’s official twitter accounts also depict “all is well” with regard to the price control and availability of the edible items in makeshift markets of the City.

However, on ground no good change is visible. Factually, the situation in both Ramzan bazaars and in the open market has not improved while the government is making false claims of decline in prices by sharing the price comparison of selected items of official price list whereas the prices of daily-used items have increased since the start of Ramzan. The sellers openly violate the price list without fear of any authority. When a buyer argues over overcharging they reply that their buying price is much higher than the official prices issued by the market committee.

Across the province, the government has failed to control overcharging while the government officials themselves are involve in issuance of fake price lists in order to show better performance in the documents.

Interestingly, the violations of official prices were observed in the Ramzan bazaars where vendors were issued even higher rates than the official prices. Both lists and price cards were issued by the government officials which themselves exposed the flaw in the system and wrongdoings of the government officials.

Surprisingly, all the top officials who visited the makeshift markets of the City before the start of Ramazan did not bother to visit the bazaars this week. Official price of onion on Sunday in the Ramazan bazaars of the city was fixed at Rs35 to Rs37 per kg while it was sold at Rs38 per kg. In the open market it was sold at Rs50 to Rs60 per kg.

Price of tomato was reduced by Rs 16 per kg and it was Rs31 to Rs33 per kg on the official price list and Rs34 per kg according to the price cards issued to vendors in the Ramazan bazaars.

This week again lemon was only sold at the agricultural marketing stalls at Rs149 per kg while its Ramzan bazaar rate was fixed at Rs 290 per kg and in the open market it was sold at Rs 400 per kg. Garlic, local, rate was fixed at Rs87 to Rs90 per kg while its price was Rs 150 on the price cards issued in Ramazan bazaars. However, it was sold at Rs160 per kg. Ginger, Chinese, rate was fixed at Rs173 to Rs180 per kg but not sold there. Garlic, Thai, rate was fixed at Rs144 to Rs150 per kg but sold at Rs200 per kg. Brinjal rate was reduced by Rs7 one per kg and fixed at Rs26 to Rs28 per kg while its rate on Ramazan bazaar price cards was Rs 50 per kg.

Cucumber, farm, white, rate was fixed at Rs13 to Rs14 per kg while its price on Ramzan bazaars rate cards was Rs 30 per kg. Cucumber, black, rate was fixed at Rs28 to Rs30 per kg and cucumber, desi, rate was increased by Rs 2 per kg and fixed Rs40 to Rs42 per kg. Bitter gourd, local, price was Rs39 to Rs41 per kg on the rate list and Rs42 per kg on Ramazan bazaars price cards. Spinach rate was increased by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs19 to Rs20 kg but sold at Rs40 per kg. Methi price was raised by Rs15 per kg and fixed at Rs53 to Rs55 per kg.

Zucchini, long, rate was fixed at Rs38 to Rs40 per kg, but not sold there. Zucchini, farm, rate was fixed at Rs43 to Rs45 per kg, and the rate for its local variety was fixed at Rs67 to Rs70 per kg. The rates of both cauliflower and cabbage were increased by Rs 20 per kg and fixed at Rs70 per kg, but not sold there. Pumpkin rate was reduced and fixed at Rs 32 to Rs34 per kg but its price was Rs 35 per kg on the Ramzan bazaar price cards. Green chili price was fixed at Rs28 to Rs30 per kg but it was sold at Rs80 per kg to Rs120 per kg. Capsicum rate was increased by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs53 to Rs55 per kg but sold at Rs80 to Rs100 per kg.

Pea rate was increased by Rs15 per kg and fixed at Rs80 to Rs85 per kg but sold at Rs160 per kg. Coriander was sold at Rs200 per kg. Beans rate was fixed at Rs110 to Rs114 per kg but sold at Rs200 per kg. Luffa rate was raised by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs58 to Rs60 per kg but sold at Rs 80 per kg. Lady finger rate was fixed Rs48 to Rs50 per kg while its price on the price cards in Ramazan bazaars was Rs 52 per kg. In the open market it was sold at Rs 80 to Rs100 per kg. The prices of different varieties of apples were fixed at Rs96 to Rs305 per kg. Interestingly, the official price of banana, special category, was fixed at Rs135 to Rs140 per dozen and A-category at Rs108 to Rs112 per dozen while its rate of Rs 140 per dozen was issued for Ramzan bazaars. B-category banana rate was fixed at Rs58 to Rs60 per dozen. Guava rate was increased by Rs28 per kg and fixed at Rs77 to Rs80 per kg but sold at Rs 150 per kg. Papaya rate was fixed at Rs82 to Rs85 per kg but sold at Rs140 per kg. Date price was increased by Rs 33 per kg and fixed at Rs140 to Rs168 per kg but sold at Rs300 per kg. Melon rate was fixed at Rs67 to Rs100 per kg but sold at Rs80 to Rs120 per kg. Watermelon rate was fixed at Rs14 to Rs35 per kg but sold at Rs 25 to Rs40 per kg. Apricot rate was raised by Rs 29 per kg and fixed at Rs125 to Rs130 per kg but B-category apricot was sold at Rs 140 per kg.