KARACHI:
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the rising prices, hoarding and smuggling. He said that no one will be allowed to resort to profiteering by increasing prices. This is not the first instance of an artificial increase in the prices of essential commodities, anti-social elements welcome the fasting month every year in the form of an increase in the prices of sugar, fruit and vegetables. Illegal profiteering continues after Ramadan as prices of essential items usually remain high.
A few months ago, sugar mill owners had obtained permission from the government to export sugar claiming that they had excess stock of sugar. The profiteer mafia created an artificial crisis last month causing panic amongst the public.
However, an artificial crisis could not have occurred without the patronage of government officials. Therefore, the prime minister’s team must ensure that they root out the corrupt elements and monitor and regulate the prices and supply of essential items. An increase in the price of sugar also affects the prices of other products such as beverages. Therefore, the government must protect the public interest and fix prices of essential items at affordable rates.
Khalida Khalid
Turbat
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2023.
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