RECENTLY, owners of tandoors held a sit-in in Quetta, demanding a spike in roti prices. Initially, the government officials concerned did not budge, but later surrendered to the mafia that kept up the pressure constantly. Finally, the government decided to fix roti prices at Rs25 for a single roti having 165g of flour and Rs50 for the heavier one having 330g.

However, the mafia is once again in the news. They are charging Rs50 for a 260g roti instead of 330g. A lot more worrisome is the fact that no roti is available for Rs25. It is sheer injustice, and cruelty to the common people, especially students, who are dependent on bread from hotels as they live away from their homes.

A little before the price-check mechanism went into action, the hotel mafia, sensing an opportunity, was charging up to Rs70 for a normal roti, and Rs40 for chapatis.

These tandoor and hotel mafias have deprived the poor of even roti. Is having a roti in the meals a luxury? I wonder if people are not able to eat something that is so basic, how they will survive.

It is the responsibility of authorities concerned to monitor the rates and ensure that no one is involved in this artificial inflation and exploitation of the people. I hope this is not too much to ask.

Nabi Bakhsh Sarparah
Mastung

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2023