Masses aghast at soaring prices in Ramazan

ISLAMABAD—With the advent of holy month of Ramazan, the prices of items of daily use have, as usual, started rising upwards much to the dissatisfaction of hard hit housewives and poor.
The prices of fruits registered unusual hike in retail and at wholesale markets. In wholesale grapes are available at Rs. 35-40 per kg while in retail market it is selling at Rs 60/kg. Same is the case for other fruits. Despite huge sugar import it is being sold in the open market for Rs 28-30 per kg while Utility Stores in Rawalpindi, Islamabad are unable to meet the demands.
Although local authorities have adopted measures to ensure that essential items remain within the reach of the common people, the shopkeepers hardly follow the official price list and charge at their own will.
The month of Ramazan is blessing in disguise for whole sellers and retailers to make money the easy way. Since the official control generally remains ineffective, consumer resistance appears to be the only answer to this malady, which could bring stability to the prices.
The protagonists of consumer resistance have a strong point in their theory that in case of perishable items if people show reluctance to buy they could force the prices come down because these items cannot be stored for a longer period, for instance, fruits, vegetable, milk and curd. But the madness, which people display to buy these items, encourages the shopkeepers to fix and demand their own price. The local authorities say they are handicapped because they cannot force implementation in the absence of powers to punish the profiteers.
An assessment carried out by a non government organization shows that due to lack of consumer protection laws and lack of enforcement ofexisting food and drug laws, the callous manufacturers and wholesalers play havoc with the lives of the consumers and the markets are full of counterfeit, sub-standard and adulterated foods, beverages and medicines, which are being marketed openly across the country without fear of punishment.—INP