The people do not seem as enthusiastic as were seen every year on the advent of the holy month of Ramazan due to price hike, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed. Traditionally on the eve of Ramazan people rush to milk, chicken, mutton and beef shops, but this year all the excitement of fasting was missing as the market had routine customers, BR observed.
People from different walks of life talking to Business Recorder said that the unending wave of inflation is playing havoc and they are unable to celebrate such events as under the prevailing circumstances they could hardly manage survival. Muhammad Rafiq a paralysed person selling fruits on a bicycle said that on the advent of Ramazan he was much disappointed as most of the items remained unsold, adding on previous such occasion he used to buy additional fruit on the advent of Ramazan and managed to sell it before evening.
He further said that he was working for last 25 years at the same spot but has never seen such a situation on the advent of Ramazan. Rafiq said that the common man is unable to purchase apples at Rs 80 a kilogramme, dozen bananas at Rs 70 per kg, grapes at Rs 100 and peach at Rs 70 per kg.
He held the government responsible for all this and said that the government had done nothing expect spreading corruption. While stating his personal ordeal, he said that CDA has issued him a license in 1980 to carryout his business on bicycle and has all the relevant documents but the corrupt officials are always forcing him to pay them bribe for his business.
Tariq Mehmood a chicken seller at Abpara Market was of the view that the excitement among the people on the eve of Ramazan is badly missing and high inflation is responsible for this. He said that live chicken is being sold at Rs 140 per kg while chicken meat is available at Rs 240kg which common man could not purchase who earns just Rs 200 to Rs 300 per day.
Amina Farid a lady purchasing different items for Ramazan at Melody Market said that she came here to do shopping for first Sehri and Iftari, but was not able to purchase as per her aspirations due to price hike. She wondered that if she being a professor was unable to purchase general items how a common man could purchase such food items. She said that she purchased beef at Rs 200 per kg, mutton at Rs 400 per kg, onion at Rs 50 per kg, tomato at Rs 100 per kg, potato at Rs 40 per kg, adding that all these things are above the purchasing power of a common man.