KARACHI:
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is urged to investigate companies selling packaged milk. Last year, these companies were selling milk at Rs200 per litre. When the current government imposed a 25% GST on litre of milk, making the price Rs250 per litre, these companies increased the price by 80% instead. Why was the increase higher than the taxed amount? Are they using the Government’s tax increase to increase their profits?
It is also worth noting that all of these companies sell milk at the same price of Rs360 per litre. Have they all agreed on a single price? Milk is one of our daily basic requirements. Increasing its price increases daily cost for everyone. In developed nations, milk and other staple foods are not taxed to benefit their citizens. While our current government has imposed tax on milk with everyone readily accepting it, knowing that there is not much they would be able to do. But the government should at least ensure people that the price of this daily use product does not increase furthermore.
Shahryar Khan Baseer
Islamabad
