Rawalpindi admin fails to control price-hike of essential commodities

Tomatoes were sold for Rs220 per kg in the city while it was sold for as high as Rs250 per kg in the suburbs

RAWALPINDI: Despite their tall claims, the Rawalpindi district administration has failed to control the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities such as those of tomato.

On Saturday, Rawalpindi District Commissioner (DC) Saifullah Dogar visited a vegetable market in the city, but even that could not jolt greengrocers to drop their prices to the official rates. The DC arrived at the vegetable market early on Saturday morning when vegetables were being bid upon. He urged bidders to keep prices as low as possible but his words were largely ignored by the bidders.

Meanwhile, tomatoes were sold for Rs220 per kilogramme (kg) in the city while it was sold for as high as Rs250 per kg in the suburbs.

Similarly, the price of other vegetables also remained high on Saturday. Onions were sold between Rs80-Rs100 per kg. Ginger was available for Rs300 per kg, while a bunch of spinach was being sold for Rs20.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2019.