Shortage of items at USCs

Rawalpindi : The consumers of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing shortage of kitchen items particularly atta, ghee, cooking oil, sugar, pulses, rice and several other necessary things in government run stores for over two weeks.

The consumers are facing shortage of items because utility store corporation (USC) on the directions of government, sending food items to flood-hit areas. Government run stores in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have sent over 200,000 food packets to flood hit areas across the country in this regard. USC Regional Managers Naveed Nasrullah and Raja Zulqarnan told 'The News' that government has directed us to send food items to flood-hit areas on priority basis. Our staff was busy to make food packets filled with necessary items. "We have sent over 200,000 food packets to different flood hit areas," they claimed.

The warehouses were empty to send items to stores here in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Secondly, branded and non-branded companies have refused to provide things to utility stores for selling. Therefore, consumers of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing shortage of all items for over two weeks. Limited consumers could buy these two items 'Atta' and 'Ghee' once in a week only on Sunday from USCs otherwise not.

The store managers on condition of anonymity said that local consumers were not ready to listen any excuse that we were sending maximum food items to flood hit areas on priority basis. Therefore, local consumers are facing shortage of items. They also said that they were facing an embarrassing situation for over two weeks because consumers demanding atta, ghee, cooking oil and other necessary items. In the state of helplessness, several stores have closed to avoid this embarrassing situation, Store Managers said.

Talking to 'The News' consumers in long queues in front of different utility stores said that they were here since morning to get subsidized ghee, atta and sugar but in vain. How they could purchase these expensive items from open market shops, they bemoaned.

Nadia Faheem a lady consumer stood in front of Muslim Town Store said that she was again and again visiting here to buy subsidized ghee and atta but going back empty handed for three days. The store management presenting excuse that all items were short for some days, she said.

Nasir Hussain another male consumer said that how we could survive in this inflation era when one kilogram ghee was selling at Rs580 and one litre cooking oil is selling at Rs605 in open market shops. Government should chalk out a plan to provide all food items in cheaper prices otherwise it would create an unrest situation all around, he warned.