Price hike: JI slams ‘neglectful’ government

The government’s announcement for subsidising common items with Rs2.5billion should be monitored: Mahenti.

KARACHI:

The month of Ramzan is synonymous with sharing and providing relief but that is not always the case in Pakistan.

In India, relief is offered to Muslims yet here due to constant price hikes, profiteers operate without any fear because of a neglectful government.

The government’s announcement for subsidising common items with Rs2.5billion should be monitored as profiteers would exploit the package, said Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Chief Muhammad Hussain Mahenti.

“Regrettably, the subsidy remains only for the goods which are sold at designated utility stores where the quality of goods is compromised,” he said, adding that the government should extend the subsidy to open markets so that people could benefit from the package.
Mahenti demanded that the government take concrete steps for the eradication of profiteering and for providing relief to the public during the holy month of Ramzan.

“The people are fed up of cosmetic measures regarding price control for commonly used commodities.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2012.