RAWALPINDI: Prices of all edible items have increased manifold in the garrison city and no shopkeeper is selling essential commodities on rates fixed by the district administration.

However, officials concerned painted a rosy picture of the situation in front of Commissioner Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah at a meeting on Saturday.

The price control committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of the commissioner and attended by Additional Commissioner Coordination Saif Anwar Jappa and others.

Instead of informing the commissioner about the ground reality, the officials claimed that the prices of all essential items such as pulses, tomatoes, potatoes and onions were selling at reasonable prices.

The district administration had fixed the price of Roti at Rs7 and Naan at Rs10 but no naanbai (baker) is selling it at the fixed rates. Instead, the naanbais have fixed the price of Roti at Rs10 and Naan at Rs15.

As per the official price list, mutton has to be sold at Rs1,000 per kg but is being sold at Rs1,400 per kg. Similarly, beef price was fixed at Rs500 per kg but it is selling at Rs650-700 per kg.

Sugar price was fixed at Rs88 per kg but it is available in the market at Rs110 per kg. Milk was to be sold at Rs130 per litre but in the open market it is available at Rs140 while yogurt’s official price is Rs140 and it is available at Rs150 in the market.

Rice price was fixed at Rs140 per kg but the shopkeepers are selling it at Rs180 per kg. On the other hand, the district administration officials informed the commissioner that the prices of edibles were stable.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali said out of the stock of 1,261 metric tons of wheat flour, 870 metric tons had been sold.

He said heavy fines were imposed and FIR lodged against profiteers but no one was arrested.

The commissioner directed the price control magistrates to take stern action against those fleecing the consumers.

“Corruption will not be tolerated in any case. Counters should be set up at prominent places in all stores,” he said.

He directed the deputy commissioner to advertise about the sale of sugar and flour on social media to create awareness among the citizens, adding each buyer should be given two kg sugar.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2021