Hustle and bustle witnessed in markets: hoarders, vendors fleecing customers

On the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, hustle and bustle has been witnessed in the local markets amid the complaints of inflation particularly high prices of daily use items. No Sasta Bazaar (cheap market) has been set up in the federal capital this time in the holy month and the people were left with no option but to visit the local markets and buy things at higher prices.
The weather, however, became pleasant with downpour on the first day of the holy month. This brought shine to the faces of faithful and they hoped the next fasting days would also be pleasant. Muhammad Aslam, a customer, said that prices of the food items have gone up threefold as compared to those of the previous year. "There is no check on the prices as vendors have been selling daily use items on price of their choice," he complained.
He said that the governments and businessmen in other countries offer subsidies and other incentives on food items and clothes on special occasions. "But in our country, everything goes opposite," he said. The hoarders and big businessmen mint millions of rupees in Ramadan by creating artificial shortage in the local market. "The laws are there to check the hoarding and other crimes but nobody is willing to implement them," he said. The majority of the people also visited weekly bazaars to buy dates, fruits, vegetables and beverages for Sehri and Aftar but they also complained of high prices of these items. "The district administration and price control magistrates should visit the weekly markets to keep a check on prices of food items," Khaki Khan, a customer, suggested.
He said that the federal government and provincial governments announced billions of rupees subsidy for the holy month but its impact is rare to witness. "Utility stores and cheap bazaars sell low quality goods despite subsidy of billions of rupees," he said.
The government institutions should also keep a check on quality of the goods being sold at the utility stores and cheap markets instead of just boasting about subsidy. An official of the district administration told Business Recorder that deputy commissioner has directed all the price control magistrates to visit the markets and impose heavy fines on vendors who are selling goods at exuberant prices.
"All the vendors and businessmen have been directed to display price lists at their shops; so that customers could get an idea about the price before buying the things," he said. The official said that people can directly approach the relevant officials and price control magistrates at the local district administration offices to register their complaints about the profiteers.