Govt establishes new model bazaars with Rs200 million

Claims these bazaars will offer a good shopping experience to citizens

LAHORE: While citizens complain that prices of essentials have already skyrocketed ahead of Ramazan, Punjab Model Bazaars Management Company (PMBMC) has established new model bazaars at an estimated cost of Rs200 million.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the PMBMC Chief Executive Officer Nasir Rafiq highlighted that these new model bazaars have been established in districts Lodhran, Vehari, Jhang, Farooqabad and Chakwal. “After developing the necessary infrastructure, including steel shades, walkways, sitting spaces, restrooms, green belts and play areas, the company has already handed over stalls to vendors who are in the process of setting up their businesses these days,” he said.

“We are expecting that these model bazaars will become functional by next week and will offer a good shopping experience to citizens,” he said, adding that as per defined procedure, the PMBMC would provide space to local government in its model bazaars for setting up Ramazan bazaars across Punjab. However, it is the responsibility of the government and the local administration to ensure the provision of essential commodities in these bazaars.



Deputy Secretary Price Naveed Ashraf said his department has sent its Ramazan plan to Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Though the CM had given formal approval of the Ramazan Package 2018 on Friday, it is yet to be received by his office. He, however, disclosed that as per the plan, the government will make all Ramazan bazaars functional three days before the holy month.

The CM, on Friday, approved Rs11 billion Ramazan package to provide essential commodities, including wheat flour, sugar, pulses, ghee, fruit and vegetables, to the common man at subsidised rates in the holy month. The government has planned to establish over 300 bazaars, including 32 in Model bazaars across Punjab.

A large number of citizens complained that prices of various essential items such as fruits, vegetables and poultry products have already skyrocketed ahead of Ramazan. A citizen, Maria Khan, highlighted that demand of chicken meat declined during the holy month, but it was very strange that the price of poultry has been jacked up to Rs300 a kilogramme in the provincial capital.

Another citizen, Muhammad Salamat, pointed out that the prices of most seasonal vegetables including bitter gourd, green chilli, garlic, ginger and lady’s finger, were showing an upward trend but the government has no control.

“The government’s price control mechanism is so inefficient that it has failed to rein in essential commodities prices even in the provincial capital. The situation in other cities is even worse,” he remarked.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2018.