The City District Government of Multan (CDGM) has failed to maintain prices of the kitchen items due to which shopkeepers, milkmen, butchers, vegetable and fruit vendors are charging prices of their will.
Sellers of all kinds of commodities have increased the prices of eatable items. Executive District Officer (EDO), Revenue, admitted that prices of all items are increasing day-by-day and the poor are badly affected by this situation.
District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Multan, Ali Murtaza said that he would call an emergency meeting of all price magistrates to review the prices issue.
"I would take immediate action on the poor performance of price magistrates," he said, adding that the sellers could not increase rates on their own.
Chicken is selling for Rs 210 per kilogram for the last three days while the milkmen are selling milk for Rs 45 per litre. Butchers in all areas in the city openly violating the fixed rates by charging Rs 150-180 against Rs 120 for a kilogram beef and Rs 330-350 for mutton.
Ginger is being sold for Rs 160 per kg. Buying fruits is a dream for the poor as apples are being sold for Rs 120 per kg and kinnow for Rs 40 to 45 per kg. Sugar price in the open market is Rs 67-70.
Muhammad Imran Sheikh, a milkman, told that they have decided to increase the prices of milk from Rs 42 to Rs 45 due to summer season. "Demand of milk would have been double in summer as compared to winter, therefore, we have increased the rates of milk in Multan," he said.
The residents resented the increase and criticised the city administration for its lack of interest in controlling the prices of items of daily use. They said that no one is present to take action against profiteers as the city administration has left them at the mercy of profiteers. Mazhar Javed, a resident of Gulberg colony said that rates of all kitchen items are out of their reach.