TAXILA: Within a span of a year, naanbais in Taxila and Wah have unilaterally raised prices of roti and naan once again.

People hold the District Price Control Committee responsible for the hike and demanded action against those selling naan at exorbitant rates and at far less weight than the standards set by the district administration.

It has been observed that the naanbais and tandoorwalas have increased the price of roti from Rs15 to Rs20 and naan from Rs20 to Rs25 in various markets and commercial areas of Taxila and Wah, especially Nawababad, Wah Model Town, New City, Anwar Chowk, Liauq Ali Chowk, 26 area, Lalazar, Lalarukh, Basti and Gadwal, citing increase in the price of flour, maida as well as high tariff of natural gas and electricity for commercial consumers.

Though bound to follow the price list issued by their association, the naanbais justified the hike saying roti sold by them weighed more than what had been fixed.

The association’s president, Sherzada Khan, said the provincial food authorities had deliberately failed to manage the cost of wheat, flour and different grain merchandise, therefore they had no option but to increase the prices of these products.

As per tandoor owners, the market price for an 80kg sack of red flour had jumped from Rs1,850 to Rs6,800 while the price of a sack of flour and refined white flour had gone up from Rs7,100 to Rs8,500. Moreover, the 80kg bag of fine maida was being sold for Rs10,800.

The tandoor owners claimed that they had no other option but to sell naan and roti for Rs25 and Rs20, respectively.

Talking to this reporter, office-bearers of the Naanbais Association said prices of fine flour and refined wheat flour had increased by Rs1,000 due to shortage of wheat in the open market. The association said the price of gas cylinders had also risen from Rs11,300 to Rs15,000.

“We have been forced to raise the prices owing to an increase in rates of flour and gas,” the association’s general secretary, Naseeb Khan said.

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Fazal Mudassir said fine was imposed on a number of hotel owners, naanbais and tandoorwalas for profiteering and violating the official price list.

“The local administration has formed teams led by officers from various parts of the city with whom residents could lodge complaints about overcharging by naanbais while price magistrates had also been directed to furnish daily inspection reports,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2023