Suffering in silence: ‘Ramazan Package provides the common man no succour’

DCO asked to give recommendations on how to curb price hike.

LAHORE:

Despite the generous subsidy announced for Ramazan Bazaars, the government has miserably failed to overcome the price hike, the Lahore High Court observed on Wednesday.      

Justice Khalid Mehmood Khan said the subsidy announced to provide succour to the common man was actually benefitting “big fish and mafia”. Justice Khan was hearing a petition challenging the prevalent price hike and unfair business practices during Ramazan.

Pursuant to the court’s order, the Lahore district coordination officer appeared in court and said that government had taken effective measures to control prices at Ramazan Bazaars. He said city government officials had conducted several raids in connection with the crackdown against hoarding and other unfair business practices that led to artificial inflation. He said those found guilty of these practices had been heavily fined.

Counsel for the petitioner said the prices of essential items doubled each year during Ramazan. He said hoarding was rampant and that it continued to affect the prices of food and items of daily use.

The petitioner said the common man could no longer afford vegetables or fruits. He requested the court to direct the government to curb inflation on essential items and food, especially during Ramazan.

The Lahore High Court remarked that poor people had to travel miles to get a Rs10 relief at Ramazan Bazaars. Justice Khan said the government had failed to provide people succour despite its “historic Ramazan aid package”.

He said that the court was aware that imported food (potatoes) was being given to multinational food companies through mafia. The common man was not benefitting from any of these interventions, he said. Justice Khan adjourned hearing till July 16 and asked the DCO to present written recommendations to control the price hike.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2014.