RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has taken serious notice of the increase in prices of sugar to Rs76 per kg and roti to Rs10 and asked divisional commissioners to bring them down in the open market.

Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar asked Rawalpindi Commissioner Saqib Zafar and Deputy Commissioner Ali Randhawa to bring down the roti, naan and sugar prices in the open market.

After the directives, the district administration fixed the price of sugar at Rs74 in the wholesale market. In this regard, the district administration said it planned to conduct raids in the markets to implement the price.

Earlier, retailers were allowed to sell sugar at Rs3 per kg higher than the wholesale market. But the administration reduced the profit to Rs2 per kg in the retail market.

However, the retailers refused to bring down the price terming it illogical as wholesalers were selling sugar at Rs75 per kg and the retailers at Rs78 to Rs80 per kg.

Punjab govt takes notice as retailers and naanbais refuse to bring down prices

Rawalpindi Merchant Association President Saleem Pervaiz said it was not possible for retailers to sell sugar at low price after purchasing it on the increased price from wholesalers.

“We get sugar at Rs75 per kg from wholesale market and are selling it at Rs78 per kg.” He said Rs3 per kg profit was necessary to meet expenditures including cost of transportation and packing material.

On the other hand, the residents expressed resentments over the increased price of sugar and said in Ramazan sugar was available at Rs54 per kg but in two months its price had increased to Rs80 per kg.

Abdul Rehman, a visitor to Narankari Bazaar, said sugar prices had increased in the market but the government turned a blind eye to the issue. He said the price of sugar remained low in the last five years but after the change of the government, the prices shot up.

Saleem Raja, a resident of Committee Chowk, said he got sugar for Rs54 per kg in the open market two months ago but now its price had suddenly gone up and the administration was doing nothing.

He said if the price was brought down in the Ramazan why the administration could not control it now.

Roti and wheat flour

The district administration also launched action against naanbais who failed to implement the official price list. According to the price list, roti price has been fixed at Rs8 and naan at Rs10.

However, most of the bread makers refused to bring down the price. The price magistrates have registered 23 FIRs against the violators.

Naanbais Association President Shafique Qureshi told Dawn that the price of roti had been reduced from Rs10 to Rs8 but the price of naan could not be reduced as “we get fine wheat flour at higher rate.”

He said the government had fixed the price of wheat flour at Rs808 per 20-kg bag but it was available in the market at Rs950 per 20-kg bag. He said the price of roti was not reduced for those tandoors which were attached with roadside hotels and restaurants as gas prices were reduced only for separate tandoors.

Meanwhile, the Wheat Flour Dealers Association refused to sell flour at Rs808 per 20-kg bag and demanded the government increase the price of per bag to Rs820.

Wheat Flour Dealers Association President Zahoor Bhatti said the government provided wheat to flour mills who sold it at Rs786 per bag but the dealers wanted Rs820 per bag in the open market as transport charges and labour wages had increased.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Ali Randhawa said the prices of sugar, wheat flour and roti had been fixed and action launched against the violators.

He said stern action would be taken against the violators. He said the district price magistrates were on their toes and these efforts would bring results in coming two or three days.

He said prices of edibles were being monitored and no one would be allowed to overcharge the consumers. He said the district administration would implement its price list at any cost as it had been prepared after consultations with all stakeholders.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2019