Price magistrates fail to check profiteers

Rawalpindi : The special price magistrates of city district government, Rawalpindi have literally failed to keep a check on profiteers and hoarders from robbing the public even in Sunday Bazaars.

Verbal spats have become a routine over prices of daily commodities at all Sunday bazaars of Committee Chowk, Chungi No22, Churr, Khanna Bazaar, Adiala and Gulzar-e-Quaid. Even the prices at all Sunday bazaars in city varied which speaks volume of the fact that authorities concernedhave failed to keep a check on profiteers.

A survey conducted by ‘The News’ 1-kilogram onion is being sold at Rs80 in Committee Chowk bazaar, Rs85 in Chungi No22 bazaar and Rs82 in Chur bazaar, potato (fine quality) at Rs90 in Committee Chowk, Rs85 in Gulzar-e-Quaid bazaar and Rs100 in Chungi No22 bazaar, 1-kilogram Ginger selling at Rs700 in all Sunday Bazaars while 1-kilogram garlic is selling at Rs200 in Committee Chowk bazaar, Rs220 in Chungi No22 bazaar and Rs210 at Khanna bazaar.

The profiteers and hoarders are freely looting public but the authorities are watching the whole drama silently. The city district government, Rawalpindi has publicised phone numbers 051-2372154 and 051-9292563 for public to launch their complaints against profiteers and hoarders, but the issue remain unresolved as profiteers and hoarders are ruling the roost around the city.

Similarly, in Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sabzi Mandi, 5-kg onion was being sold at Rs400, 5-kg tomato at Rs400, 1-kg lemon at Rs300, 1-kilogram ginger at Rs600 and garlic at Rs200. These are the wholesale prices. It has also become impossible to buy mutton, beef and chicken because 1-kilogram mutton is selling at Rs1200, beef at Rs650 and chicken at Rs300.

Similarly, poor consumers are also returning back empty handed from government run Utility Stores which have no sugar, flour and ghee for several days. The ‘Chakki’ owners have also increased the price of ‘atta’ at Rs80 from Rs76 on Sunday.

The city district government Special Price Magistrate Zulqarnain Ahmed told ‘The News’ that they were visiting markets on regular basis to take action against profiteers and hoarders. The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi has formed special teams to check inflation in open market shops, he said. He said that we are not only imposing fines but also registering FIRs of Section 3/7 against profiteers and hoarders.