Prices of essential commodities on Wednesday remained higher than the official rates despite the continued raids by the city government's magistrates against the profiteers to control the overpricing in the Ramazan.
Vendors at the locality of Soldier Bazaar and its adjacent areas sold fruits on unofficial increased rates higher than the rates fixed by the city government and insisted that they would sell fruit items on their own set rates.
Despite the heavy penalties and imprisonment, the retailers have been found persistent to defy official prices for essential commodities set by the city government.
It has been observed that the city government's magistrates succeeded only to impose heavy fines and imprisonment over the retailers on the charges of overpricing for the sale of essential commodities but have failed to control the price hike at the retail and wholesale markets.
Consumers continued to face price hike in essential commodities on a daily basis to pay high price for a purchase of vegetable and fruit items.
People have demanded of government to bring the prices of essential commodities down on a permanent basis.
According to additional, executive district officer (EDO) of Revenue Department of city government, Matanat Ali Khan that around 106 violators had been jailed and Rs 0.5 million had been collected as a fine during the last 10 days.