Sugar prices take a sour turn
Sugar was being sold in markets at prices ranging from Rs95 to Rs120, locals protest.
SIALKOT/DG KHAN/MULTAN:
Locals all over southern Punjab have protested the rise in the price of sugar. Residents of Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chawinda, Badiana, Pasrur, Sambrial, Khushab, Garot and Daska have protested against the escalation of sugar prices. “Sugar has become out of the reach of ordinary citizens and is now practically a luxury item,” said Khushab resident Ali Bajwa, adding that sugar was being sold in the local markets at prices ranging from Rs95 to Rs120.
Residents have expressed grave concern over the situation as the sugar crisis has been escalating daily and several tea houses in Sargodha and Sialkot have been closed down. “It’s been three days and we haven’t had a single customer because we’ve had to charge Rs25 for a cup of tea just to make up the cost of sugar,” said Khalid, a tea boy at a stall in Garot. He said that a cup of tea previously cost Rs7-10.
Shopkeepers in Sargodha have said that they cannot help the sugar prices as they were being supplied sugar at exorbitant rates. “We are getting sugar at Rs85 to Rs110 and that depends on the quality, we cannot help that costs are going up,” said shop owner Rashid.
In Khushab, sugar prices have soared and sugar is being sold in the wholesale market for Rs105 per kilogram. “Sure prices have been going up steadily but it has never been this bad,
said a trader Nadeem.
Locals protested against the new sugar prices and Anjuman Saarfeen Joharabad vice president Ehsan Siddiqui said that the prices were not being controlled because sugar mill owners were members of the national and provincial assemblies. “These mill owners are in government and they have no problem starving their people for personal gain,” Siddiqui said.
He said that the chief justice had fixed the sugar prices at Rs40 when the commodity was being sold for Rs60 per kg, but now the prices had doubled.
Locals in all districts have protested against the escalating sugar prices and said that they would take to the streets if the trend continued. “They are robbing us blind and these same government officials say that they are sympathisers of the poor!” said a protestor in Sambrial, Sohail Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2010.
Locals all over southern Punjab have protested the rise in the price of sugar. Residents of Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chawinda, Badiana, Pasrur, Sambrial, Khushab, Garot and Daska have protested against the escalation of sugar prices. “Sugar has become out of the reach of ordinary citizens and is now practically a luxury item,” said Khushab resident Ali Bajwa, adding that sugar was being sold in the local markets at prices ranging from Rs95 to Rs120.
Residents have expressed grave concern over the situation as the sugar crisis has been escalating daily and several tea houses in Sargodha and Sialkot have been closed down. “It’s been three days and we haven’t had a single customer because we’ve had to charge Rs25 for a cup of tea just to make up the cost of sugar,” said Khalid, a tea boy at a stall in Garot. He said that a cup of tea previously cost Rs7-10.
Shopkeepers in Sargodha have said that they cannot help the sugar prices as they were being supplied sugar at exorbitant rates. “We are getting sugar at Rs85 to Rs110 and that depends on the quality, we cannot help that costs are going up,” said shop owner Rashid.
In Khushab, sugar prices have soared and sugar is being sold in the wholesale market for Rs105 per kilogram. “Sure prices have been going up steadily but it has never been this bad,
said a trader Nadeem.
Locals protested against the new sugar prices and Anjuman Saarfeen Joharabad vice president Ehsan Siddiqui said that the prices were not being controlled because sugar mill owners were members of the national and provincial assemblies. “These mill owners are in government and they have no problem starving their people for personal gain,” Siddiqui said.
He said that the chief justice had fixed the sugar prices at Rs40 when the commodity was being sold for Rs60 per kg, but now the prices had doubled.
Locals in all districts have protested against the escalating sugar prices and said that they would take to the streets if the trend continued. “They are robbing us blind and these same government officials say that they are sympathisers of the poor!” said a protestor in Sambrial, Sohail Khan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2010.