KARACHI: Meat sellers ignore deal, continue fleecing people
By Aamir Shafaat Khan
KARACHI, Nov 2: Meat sellers continued to fleece customers on Sunday charging Rs120 per kg for boneless beef and Rs95 per kg for beef with bones, Rs5 to 10 higher than their own recommended prices.
Neither the price list notified by the city government nor the one agreed upon between the CDGK and the Meat Merchants Welfare Association (MMWA) was followed by retailers.
Customers experienced sheer confusion in judging the quality of meat classified in different categories with different rates as they thronged meat markets after a gap of one week, half of it being meatless days and the rest sellers’ strike. In many cases, meat sellers were found selling low quality meat at the price fixed for high quality meat.
The MMWA had agreed to sell No.1 and 2 qualities of viel beef with bones at Rs80 and 90 per kg respectively. However, the No. 1 quality was selling at Rs95 and the other at Rs90 per kg in many markets and at various other outlets on Sunday. In some areas, both the qualities were being offered at Rs95 per kg.
Similarly, viel meat (boneless) was being sold at Rs120 per kg, Rs10 higher than even the pre-Ramazan rate.
Mutton, all qualities, was selling at Rs170 to Rs190 per kg though the association, in its Friday night meeting with the CDGK’s Naib Nazim, had agreed to sell No.1 quality for Rs170, No.2 for Rs155 and No.3 for Rs135 per kg. It had bargained over the city government’s recommended prices of Rs150, 140 and 120 respectively, though for Ramazan only.
The meat sellers succeeded in their fleecing spree as ordinary people do not have a sense of judging the quality of meat. Retailers may easily mix up all the qualities of meat and make windfalls by selling poor quality meat at a higher rate.
It is generally observed that meat of quality No.3 is consumed usually by low income group in areas like Landhi, Korangi, Quaidabad, Lea Market, Lyari, etc., whereas better qualities are fetched by the residents of posh localities.
Meanwhile, EDO Raeesuddin Paracha has said that he had received complaints from various areas about overcharging by meat merchants.
Governor Ishratul Ibad has issued orders to the concerned authorities to ensure a strict check on price-hike, profiteering and overcharging in sale of all the essential items, especially meat, during the month of Ramazan, he said. The governor, he added, had recommended stern action against those violating the notified price list.
Mr Paracha, however, did not state whether the new meat prices as agreed upon between the city government and the MMWA would be notified by Thursday.
With regard to the failed strategy to force meat sellers to adhere to a reasonable price format, market sources indicated that signals from some leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal that they intended to play a role in settling the row had nullified the CDGK’s efforts. The ensuing developments led to a rift between the Naib Nazim, Tariq Hassan, and the two senior officials, the EDO and DCO who appeared unhappy over being ignored while negotiations were held with the MMWA.
While uncertainty over the issuance of new meat prices list by the city government on time prevailed, the MMWA seems set to issue its own price list on Thursday.
Mr Iqbal Qureishi, general secretary of the association, said: “In line with our usual practice, we will be issuing our new price list for the year on Thursday and all our members would be displaying the same at their retail outlets.”
He admitted that meat merchants had resorted to overcharging on Sunday but attributed the flare-up to the lesser slaughtering, i.e. 15-20 per cent, due to a week-long pause in supplies. For this very reason, he said, the Naib Nazim was requested not to insist on resuming the sales on Saturday, hours after the strike having been called off. However, he added, the Naib Nazim did not agree. He pointed out that customers thronged meat markets and outlets on Saturday and Sunday and the situation gave some meat merchants a chance to charge higher than fixed. He expressed his hope that the situation would return to normal in a few days.
