Qeemat Punjab app gains momentum

More than 50,000 mobile phone users have downloaded mobile application over last few weeks

LAHORE: Citizens in the provincial capital are increasingly turning to the Qeemat Punjab mobile application for information-related services. More than 50,000 mobile phone users have downloaded the app over the last few weeks.

The provincial government introduced the app to allow users to check information regarding prices of fruits, vegetables and other items of daily use. The app also allows users to make complaints against shopkeepers who are overcharging as compared to the prices already set by the market.



Users find the app useful as it prevents shopkeepers from increasing prices of fruits, vegetables, meat and other items and clarifies rumours regarding price hikes. The usage of this application is increasing with each passing day.

With the help of this mobile app, citizens can conveniently learn about government rates of basic commodities. The app has been developed with the support of Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). Citizens can read the information in both Urdu and English on the app. According to the PITB spokesperson, the app is regularly updated in accordance with changing market prices of items, almost on a daily basis.

Citizens can compare the price of goods of any general store and shop by the price mentioned in the mobile app as per their relevant city and tehsil. If the shopkeeper and store owner is charging more money, the citizen can file a complaint on the same app regarding the issue, on which immediate action will be taken.

Fatima Ahmed, one of the users of the app, said that she installed this app a few days ago. “I used to shop from a big grocery store in Lahore. After I compared the prices on my store bill with the prices of this app, the prices were the same.”



Another woman named Azmat Asif said that there is a difference between the prices of vegetables and fruits and the prices in the mobile app.  “The vendors of fruits and vegetables claim that these are the market prices which are given in the mobile app.”

She maintained that it is difficult to register a complaint against a vendor on this mobile app because the vendor’s cart does not have a name or a permanent address.

The administrator of a superstore located at Canal Road said they use software related to the prices of daily use items.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2019.