ISLAMABAD: The blockades of roads have led to a partial shortage of essential food items, including chicken and vegetables, in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and it is feared that the shortage could increase on Wednesday (today) as the PTI continues its protest.

The supply of fresh milk, vegetables and chicken from various parts of Punjab has been disturbed for the last many days.

The abrupt and forced closure of markets on Tuesday evening also made the situation difficult for people to buy daily-use items.

“Our supply vehicles reached today after four days from Sargodha and we sold chicken at Rs550 per kg and at Rs350 live chicken, but for tomorrow we will have no stock as today we decided not to dispatch our vehicles to Sargodha,” said Mohammad Hasnain, who runs a chicken shop at Al-Habib Market of G-7.

Rawalpindi district administration decides to open entry points for vehicles carrying food items, fuel late at night

He added: “Today, the administration closed down markets in the evening. We are not sure whether markets will remain closed or open on Wednesday,” he said.

Another chicken dealer Khalid Hussain said due to the uncertain political situation, “we decided not to send our vehicles to bring chicken from Punjab for Wednesday. We can’t take risk of sending vehicles amid the protest,” he said and added that if the situation did not improve in the coming days, the price of chicken would see a massive increase due to the demand and supply issue.

“Dealers purchase chicken from local markets of Faizabad and some other places, but majority of them bring chicken from far-flung areas of Punjab including Sargodha, Chowk Azam, Chowk Munda. So when there will be no supply from Punjab, there will be a serious shortage of chicken in Islamabad,” he said.

Like chicken, supply of vegetables is also disturbed as in I-11 Sabzi Mandi several items were short on Tuesday morning. “Today, we faced shortage of several vegetable items like ladyfinger, pumpkin, ridge gourd and bitter melon etc,” said Abid Ali, a vegetable dealer in Sitara Market.

He said that during the last few days, prices of tomatoes had also seen a significant increase.

“Few days ago, tomatoes were available at Rs150 to Rs180 and on Tuesday morning we purchased a crate of 14kg tomatoes for Rs4,200 in Mandi,” he said.

Meanwhile, a dealer in Sabzi Mandi told Dawn that stock of vegetables was running out and there were chances of more shortage on Wednesday. Similarly, the supply of milk from Punjab is also disturbed, creating a partial shortage.

Shopkeepers were expecting more shortage of daily-use items on Wednesday (today). Meanwhile, the forced closure of markets and hotels on Tuesday evening put labourers in a difficult situation to find a place for food and tea.

“Everything is closed here; we have no idea where to go for dinner,” said Ramzan Khan, a labourer in Sitara Market.

Rawalpindi

The closure of all entry and exit points of the garrison city on the third consecutive day on Tuesday led to a shortage of vegetables and other edibles as well as fuel. Shopkeepers cashed in on the situation and overcharged consumers.

Taking notice of the shortage of food items, the district administration decided to open the roads for trucks carrying food items and oil tankers late at night.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema told Dawn that the district administration had directed officials concerned to inspect all bazaars and markets to check the prices. He said if any shopkeeper was found selling food items above the official rates, heavy fines would be imposed on them besides registration of cases.

He said that the administration had decided to allow food and fuel carrying vehicles to enter the city late at night to overcome their shortages. He said the Industries Department had been asked to inspect godowns in the garrison city and ensure if there was enough stock or it was an artificial shortage to cash in on the situation.

Mr Cheema said the administration had checked filling stations and found that there was enough fuel for two more days. However, he said, “We allowed the entry of oil tankers into the city late at night to fill tanks of the filling stations.”

He said the agriculture department had been asked to arrange vegetables through farmers in the city and ensure the sale at official rates.

He said that all assistant commissioners had been directed to remain in the field to check the availability of food items and fuel. He said that security measures had also been taken to secure the life and property of the people.

Meanwhile, the closure of roads has led to an increase in the prices of vegetables, sugar and cooking oil in the markets.

Tomatoes were selling at Rs500 per kg while the official price was Rs175 per kg. Potatoes were available at Rs200 per kg against the official rate of Rs116 per kg, garlic at Rs800 per kg against Rs603 per kg, ginger at Rs550 per kg against the official rate of Rs438 per kg.

Cooking oil is available at Rs550 per litre which was Rs500 per litre three days ago while sugar is selling at Rs135 per kg against the officially fixed price of Rs120 per kg.

Shopkeepers said wholesalers had increased the rates of cooking oil and sugar so it was not possible for retailers to sell it at lower prices.

Karyana Shopkeepers Association President Saleem Butt said that there was enough stock of food items in godowns but the main dealers were cashing in on the situation and had increased the prices of cooking oil and sugar in the markets.

He said fruit and vegetable dealers had also increased prices on the pretext of the blockades of roads. However, he said the district administration had promised to open the roads for food trucks.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2024