Huge difference in official, open market prices irks consumers

Rawalpindi : Finally, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Tahir Farooq has fixed the prices of necessary food items and issued an official notification here on Sunday.

There is a big price difference in government and open market rates but the local administration has once again completed paperwork by issuing an official price list according to Notification No IPWM/RWP/42 in which Deputy Commissioner (DC), there is a big price different of Rs7 to Rs70 in the official price list and open market prices.

According to the official price list ‘roti’ has to be sold at Rs10 and a ‘naan’ at Rs15 whereas in reality, the naanbais are selling a roti at Rs15 and naan at Rs20 for quite some time. The local administration has also increased the rate of mutton by Rs100 per kilogram from Rs1200 to Rs1300 and beef at Rs600 per kilogram, whereas one kilogram of mutton is being sold at Rs1600 to Rs1800 while beef at Rs700 to Rs800.

The local administration has also fixed the rate of white chickpeas at Rs290 but it is being sold at Rs360 per kilogram in open market shops. The local administration has fixed the rate of basmati rice at Rs262 while it is being sold between R280 to300 per kilogram, ‘daal channa’ at Rs220 but it is being sold at Rs265, ‘daal moong’ at Rs220 but it is being sold at Rs230 per kilogram, ‘daal masoor’ at Rs350 but it is being sold at Rs370. The price of ‘daal mash’ has been fixed at Rs365 but it is being sold at Rs400, the price of the basin has been fixed at Rs210 but it is being sold at Rs230.

The local administration has also increased the prices of milk by Rs120 from Rs120 to Rs140 but it is sold at Rs150. The local administration after issuing the official price list warned profiteers and hoarders to obey this price list at any cost otherwise strict action would be taken against them. But, profiteers and hoarders right away rejected the official price list of the district administration and continue looting the public as per routine. The district administration has increased the prices of all necessary items but profiteers and hoarders are not obeying the official price list of the Deputy Commissioner and selling all necessary items at skyrocketing prices in retail shops.

The retail shopkeepers said that the local administration issued an official price list without any sense only to show their performance in papers. It seems that the local administration, Rawalpindi is completely unaware of the prices of daily consumable items like sugar, meat, pulses, chicken, rice, milk, ‘atta’, and ‘roti’ sold in the open market.

The citizens belonging to different walks of life strongly protested against local management for not fixing the prices of ghee/cooking oil, red chili, washing powder, tea pack, chicken, and several other items.

The local administration has fixed the rates of eggs at Rs240 per dozen. The local administration does not fix the prices of red chili, chicken, ghee/cooking oil, and several other items and is directed to buy all these items as per printed prices. There is no control over vegetable prices here in all sabzi mandis. The figures show the non-serious attitude of the district administration as its officials are only doing paperwork and dealing with pubic-related issues casually. On papers, the local management is showing that all kitchen items are available at low prices but the story is quite different in the open market.

The locals have appealed to Deputy Commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi to look at the performance of Price Control Magistrates who do not visit the markets regularly. People have appealed to higher authorities to bound local administration officials to check the prices on a regular basis because profiteers and hoarders are selling all items at their whims and wishes.