MARDAN: The district food department has failed to check the rates of mutton and beef in Mardan and implement the official price list, issued by the price review committee with the consent of traders, according to sources.

According to a notification issued by the district administration, the price of mutton is Rs480 per kilogram while the price of beef is Rs250 per kilogram. However, local butchers were selling mutton at Rs600 to Rs700 per kilogram and beef at Rs270 to Rs300 per kilogram, sources said.

Advocate Yasir Khan, a resident of Hoti area, said that although the relevant officials of district administration issued a price list, which was displayed at the shops of butchers in different parts of the district, yet the butchers were violating the price list.

The butchers were selling meat to people at a price, which was fixed by them and not by the authorities concerned, he said. He added that issuance of price list by the district administration was a futile exercise. It would be better if the relevant officials stopped issuing price list as they failed to give relief to people, Mr Khan said.

Pervaz Khan Wardag, another resident of the area, said that doctor had advised mutton to his father due to some health problem few months ago but he could not afford to buy mutton owing to overcharging by butchers.

He said that it was responsibility of the rulers to keep check on those, who were violating the official price list. Unfortunately it seemed that the relevant officials had left the people at mercy of profiteers, he added.

Iqbal Khan, the district food controller, when contacted, admitted that butchers were overcharging people and violating official price list in different parts of Mardan.

Surprisingly, the official said that he himself bought mutton and beef several times at exorbitant price. He, however, said that they would try to keep check on the butchers and deal the violators of official price list with an iron hand.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2014