Roti gets costlier by Rs2 in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi : Following the footsteps of the Islamabad Naanbais Welfare Association (INWA), the Rawalpindi Naanbais Welfare Association (RNWA) also increased the ‘roti’ prices by Rs2 from Rs10 to Rs12 at their own here on Sunday.

The Naanbais have also increased the prices of ‘kulcha’ by Rs2 from Rs18 to Rs20.

In three years, a ‘roti’ price has increased by Rs5 from Rs7 to Rs12 and a ‘Naan’ by Rs7 from Rs8 to Rs15.

Similarly in three years, the price of a 20-kilogram bag ‘atta’ of low quality has increased by Rs400 from Rs700 to Rs1100 and ‘fine’ quality ‘atta’ bag of 85-kilogram by Rs1,500 from Rs5,000 to Rs6,500.

The District Food Department (DFD) Official Spokesman Ali Ahmed said that the Punjab government has fixed ex-mill rate of a 20-kilogram bag ‘atta’ of normal quality at Rs1075 while dealers could sell it at Rs1100.

Rawalpindi Naanbias Welfare Association and Capital Naanbais Welfare Association (CNWA) without prior notification of concerned managements of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have increased ‘roti’ prices.

Rawalpindi Naanbias Welfare Association (RNWA) President Muhammad Shafiq Qureshi told ‘The News’ that they have increased ‘roti’ prices because the government was continuously increasing ‘atta’ prices and LPG prices. “We are buying a normal ‘atta’ bag of a 20-kilogram at Rs1300 and a ‘fine’ atta bag of 80-kilogram at Rs6,500 against Rs5,500. How we could survive in this situation, he said. He also said that a ‘roti’ is being sold at Rs15 in Islamabad. “We will also increase the rate of ‘naan’ very soon,” he warned.

Some two weeks back, the local administration, Rawalpindi increased the prices of ‘Roti’ and ‘Naan’ which Naanbhais rejected it. The local administration increased the price of a ‘Roti’ by Rs3 from Rs7 to Rs10 and a ‘Naan’ by Rs3 from Rs10 to Rs13. In fact, Naanbhais were already selling a ‘Roti’ at Rs10 and a ‘Naan’ at Rs15.

Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali said that we are taking strict action against naanbais for selling a ‘roti’ at Rs12. We are continuously registering FIRs and imposing fines against profiteers in this regard, he claimed.

“It seems that there is ‘banana’ republic where all sellers are selling their items by own rates. They don’t need any kind of government permission to fix the rate of items like ‘Roti’. The Naanbhias have issued their own notification to increase rates of ‘Roti’ and displayed price lists on all ‘Tandoors’, said a disgruntled Yawar Abbas while talking to ‘The News’.

Mohsin Ali appealed to the government to take strict action against Naanbais for selling ‘roti’ and ‘naan’ without government notification. It seems that there is no government writ here in the country therefore all eatable items are being sold at higher prices, he denounced.