Rawalpindi traders reject official price lists

Demand revision of notified prices; threaten shutter-down strike

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi district administration has issued a revised official price list for essential food items with immediate effect from Tuesday (today), while traders' associations, milk sellers, butchers, bakers and grocery merchants have unanimously rejected the notified rates, describing them as "unrealistic" and warning of widespread protests and a complete shutter-down strike.

Under the notification issued by the Deputy Commissioner, strict enforcement measures will be taken against traders found charging above the officially notified prices. Violators may face fines ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs200,000, registration of criminal cases, arrest, imprisonment for up to 72 hours, and the sealing of business premises.

The district administration has also directed all retailers to prominently display the official price list, with failure to do so attracting legal action and financial penalties.

According to the revised rates, coarse white chickpeas have been fixed at Rs260 per kilogram, fine white chickpeas and black chickpeas at Rs220 per kg, and gram flour (besan) at Rs215 per kg.

The official prices for pulses have been set at Rs220 per kg for coarse gram pulse, Rs205 for fine gram pulse, Rs350 for moong pulse, Rs220 for red lentils (masoor) and Rs400 for black gram (mash).

Among rice varieties, basmati rice has been fixed at Rs290 per kg, super rice at Rs310, and broken rice at Rs110 per kg. The administration has fixed fresh milk at Rs210 per litre, yoghurt at Rs230 per kg, mutton at Rs1,900 per kg, and beef at Rs1,000 per kg.

However, prices of flour, sugar, ghee, cooking oil and red chillies have been left open and will continue to fluctuate according to market conditions.

Under the notification, every retailer must purchase the official price list for Rs20 and display it prominently at the business premises. Shopkeepers have also been instructed to install a two-foot by three-foot banner displaying the official rates in a clearly visible location. Copies of the revised price list have been circulated to all price control magistrates, who began market inspections and enforcement operations from Tuesday.

DC Nadeem Nasir said strict action would be taken against any retailer failing to display the official rate list or selling commodities above the notified prices.

The announcement, however, has drawn a strong reaction from trade bodies, which argue that the official rates bear little resemblance to prevailing market realities.

Representatives of the Milk Sellers Association, Mutton and Beef Retailers Union, Naanbai Association and Grocery Merchants Association jointly rejected the notified prices.