RAWALPINDI: Scores of people have been seen standing in lines outside sugar and wheat flour stalls in Ramazan bazaars and utility stores as commodities in these government-run facilities are being sold at lower prices.

A10-kg bag of wheat flour is available in the market at Rs850-900 whereas in the Ramazan bazaar, it is being sold at Rs375. Similarly, sugar is being sold for Rs90 per kg at the retailer market and Rs65 in the bazaar.

People from the salaried and working class have been urging the government to regulate prices of essential commodities like sugar, ghee and wheat flour, as under current circumstances, household finances have become difficult to manage.

Milk in the retail market is available at Rs130 per litre, yogurt at Rs140 per kg, chicken at Rs255 per kg while meat of chicken at Rs380 per kg and eggs are being sold at Rs170 per kg. Mutton is available at Rs1,350 per kg and beef at Rs750 per kg.

Sarwat Malik, an old man standing in the queue at Marir Hassan Utility Store, said the recent surge in prices of essential food items has made it difficult for people to make both ends meet.

The government must pay heed to the problems of people like us, he said.

Mohammad Sadiq, standing in the queue at Shamsabad, said he had been waiting since the last 20 minutes to purchase sugar and it was very difficult to be in the queue despite the spread of the deadly virus claiming people’s lives.

I came with my son to get sugar but only 2 kgs were provided to each person, he said.

“It is insulting for the people to get subsidised food items in queues like they are here for charity. The district administration totally failed to bring down prices of edibles and gave fake figures to the government while there is no check on price control,” he added.

A district administration official told Dawn that Commissioner Syed Gulzar Shah has issued directions to increase counters outside sugar stalls and in this regard two counters each have been established in Ramazan bazaars of the district.

He said that on the directives of the commissioner, stall holders of wheat flour and sugar have been asked to not check people’s CNICs so people do not have to wait too long.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2021