Price magistrates target small vendors

Wholesalers get preferential treatment due to political connections

RAWALPINDI:

The 60 Price Control Magistrates of Rawalpindi district are issuing numbers by imposing fines only on small grocery vendors and cart hawkers. No fines have been issued to any wholesale dealer who is responsible for extortion.

Sources communicated that wholesale dealers display banners of the Chief Minister's promotion of Dengue Polio across the city free of charge and in this way, win the favour of the district administration.

"These wholesale dealers are the financiers of the politicians, so the wholesale dealers of all sectors have been exempted from any operation. A price magistrate who actually stands against them and a Price Control Committee consisting of political activists of the newly formed ruling party are also restricted to conduct meetings just for formality's sake.

In addition to being severely affected by inflation, Cheap Bazaars as well as Sunday, Friday and Tuesday bazaars have all become centres of selling unhealthy, rotten grocery items.

In the open market, chicken is being sold at Rs620 per kg, eggs at Rs305 per dozen, white gram at Rs550 per kg, rice at Rs500 per kg, pulses at Rs400 per kg, mash dal At Rs590 per kg, milk at Rs220 per litre, youghurt at Rs240 per kg, flour at Rs160 per kg, potatoes at Rs120 per kg, onion at Rs160 per kg, and tomatoes for Rs150.

Garlic is being sold for Rs580, ginger for Rs600, lemon for Rs650 per kg, chili for Rs200, eggplant for Rs120, peas for Rs400 per kg, Lady finger for Rs200, bitter gourd for Rs140, tinda for Rs190, cucumber for Rs120 per kg, cabbage for Rs150, carrots for Rs110 per kg, green coriander for Rs50, apples for Rs 200 to for Rs300 per kg, banana for Rs150 dozen, meethe for Rs200 dozen, grapes for Rs450 per kg, peach for Rs300 per kg, mango for Rs300 per kg, Garam for Rs130 rupees per kg, apricots for Rs200 per kg and guava for Rs200 per kg.