Rawalpindi : As the government decreased the fuel prices particularly petrol, all segments of the society while welcoming the decision had believed that prices of essential commodities would fall, providing them much relief from price hike and high inflation. However, all their hopes dashed within hours after cut in fuel prices as at the pretext of petrol shortage, not only petrol was available at much higher rates per litre at all filling stations but even the prices of all commodities showed sharp increase the very next day.
Before the decrease in fuel prices, the price of 200 grams milk pack was being sold at the rate of Rs38 which after the very next day of decrease in fuel charges, the price of the same milk pack increased by Rs2 i.e. from Rs38 to Rs40. The rates of cigarettes per packet also increased by Rs10 to.
The matter doesn’t end here because the prices of chicken witnesses sharp hike. Before the decrease in petrol rates, Shaver chicken was available at the rates of Rs230 to Rs250 per kilo. But from the very next day huge increase was made in the price of shaver chicken per kilo and it was sold at the rate of Rs400 per kilo. The prices of broiler chicken also swelled much from the older rates and an increase of Rs150 was made on this item per kilo.
Interestingly, the people also witnessed sharp increase in price of sugar per kilo which increased by Rs10 from older rates. Before cut in fuel charges, sugar was being sold at the rate of Rs80 per kilo but now it is available at the rate of Rs85 to Rs90 per kilo. The rates of this commodity is not fixed in shops and all rights are given to the shopkeepers to sell it at their behest which means government and other concerned authorities like Price Control Committee have given the shopkeepers a free hand to decide about the rates of selling commodities.
The prices of pulses of all kinds have also hone up by Rs3 to Rs5 per kilo.
The people of all walks of life which were dreaming about fall in prices of commodities have expressed their anguish over the failure of the competent authorities to keep a check and balance on the prices of daily used commodities. They expressed fear about further increase in prices of commodities from the day of announcement of national budget this week.
A housewife, Tahira of Lalazar Colony commenting on sharp increase in prices of commodities before the budget told ‘The News’ that the immense shoot up in rates of commodities of daily use have made us helpless to purchase . “The government as well as other competent authorities make tall promises and claims of lowering the prices of items but in contrast to it the rates keep on swelling each and every day which has gone beyond our reach to purchase,” she said.
The people of other areas also made similar statements and condemned price hike which they alleged exposes the failure of competent and related authorities to provide relief to the common man.
They have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take immediate notice on the present price hike with the purpose of taking steps to bring down the prices of commodities. The prime minister should direct the authorities concerned to enforce measures to lower the rates of daily used items particularly kitchen commodities so that people could get relief from the reduction in prices of petroleum products.
