PM orders crackdown on sugar hoarding

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered stringent measures to keep prices of food items in check during the holy month of Ramazan and warned that no leniency would be shown in case of any negligence in this regard.

Shehbaz chaired a meeting regarding the sugar supply and its price in the country. The meeting was briefed on sugar production and stock position. At present, officials said, ample stock of sugar was available in the country, while fair price shops had been established at the provincial level.

The prime minister told the meeting that the government took strict action against sugar smuggling, which has helped in eliminating the menace. He stressed the need for strict measures to control sugar prices, directing the authorities concerned to take action against those involved in sugar hoarding.

The prime minister said that providing food and drinks to the people at affordable prices was a priority of the government. He ordered the formulation of a strategy to provide sugar and other edible items at reasonable prices during the holy month of Ramazan.

"The federal and provincial governments should make joint efforts to ensure the provision of essential items to the common man at low rates," he said, adding that no negligence would be tolerated in controlling the prices of sugar and other essential items during the holy month.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Industries Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and other high-ranking officials attended the meeting.

Sunday marked the beginning of Ramazan in Pakistan. However, with the advent of the holy month, prices of fruits, vegetables, meat and groceries surged by 10% to 50% despite the government's assurance of reining in profiteering

Citizens lament that while the holy month is meant to cleanse the soul, it now only empties the wallet as it becomes an open season for those cashing in on necessity. In Karachi, a survey conducted a day before the start of Ramazan revealed that the cost of basic commodities had surged overnight.

In Lahore, inflation is biting even harder, with mutton now touching Rs2,500/kg, beef at Rs 1,300/kg, and chicken meat at Rs625/kg. Basic commodities such as gram flour (Rs 370/kg), white chickpeas (Rs 420/kg), and cooking oil (Rs 550 per litre) have also seen steep price increases.

Lahore's Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider assured the public that price-control teams were cracking down on profiteers daily. However, consumers dismissed the efforts as mere lip service. Many complain that price-control raids are nothing more than symbolic gestures.

Meanwhile, the situation in Rawalpindi is no different. Daily essentials such as sugar, flour, lentils and rice have all seen price surges, adding to the burden of already struggling households. Sugar is retailing at Rs 170/kg in Rawalpindi.

Local consumers have lashed out at the authorities, accusing officials of turning a blind eye to their plight. The absence of properly subsidised Ramazan Bazaars further fuelled public frustration, as the makeshift Ramazan Bazaars hardly offered any real relief.

Shoppers across the country believe that the so-called crackdown on profiteering is nothing but an annual farce. As one Karachi shopper sarcastically remarked, "Every Ramazan, officials storm a few markets, fine a handful of vendors and then disappear, while inflation continues unchecked".

Another citizen pointed out, "By the end of Ramazan, the government will boast that they reduced prices by 50%, claiming they did what even Hatim Tai [generous person] couldn't." With the administration's efforts seen as too little and too late, many fear this Ramazan will be another test of endurance rather than a month of relief and blessings.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)