HYDERABAD, Sept 28: The Consumer Rights Forum has criticised the failure of government functionaries to provide relief to people during Ramazan in spite of directive of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, it said that prices of commodities of daily use continued to increase, with price control magistrates not doing anythink.

The CRF called upon the government to review the policy of selling only if other items are bought at utility stores.

It said that price-checking magistrates could not ensure enforcement of price lists issued by the district administration for fruit, vegetables and other food items.

The CRF said that before Ramazan it was expected that since the government had revived administrative magistracy for curbing price hike, consumers would be able to get some relief in prices of fruits, vegetables and edibles.

It said that in spite of directives of the prime minister and Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim regarding price control mechanism, the district government had not been able to ensure implementation of their own price lists.

It said that every one wanted to buy fruits for Iftar during Ramazan but their prices continue to show steep rise and price control magistrates remained missing from markets.

The CRF said that all officials of the revenue department who had been given magisterial powers did not visit markets during the day because of their other preoccupations.

It said that staff present at complaint centres only lodged complaints of buyers if they turn at those centres but no action could be taken in absence of magistrate concerned.

It said that since magistrates were not available in the market for longer period during the day such complaints remained unattended.

The Consumer Rights Forum said that there should be constant checking of prices being offered to buyers by sellers in the main markets so that timely action could be taken whenever a complaint was lodged.