March 10, 2008	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 1, 1429

TAXILA, March 9: Despite government claims, the outlets of the Utility Stores Corporation here have failed to provide daily-use items to the consumers.

Information gathered by this correspondent revealed that citizens were unable to get atta, ghee and edible oil in the stores especially at the franchise ones located in Taxila and its adjoining areas.

Protesting over the situation, the residents said the utility stores had been short of necessary items for the last many weeks and poor consumers cannot buy them from the open market due to skyrocketing prices.

After waiting in long queues outside the outlets in Taxila Cantonment, the consumers including women are told that the stores are short of stock.

The big difference in prices of cooking oil and ghee at the utility stores and in the open market shows the authorities’ inability to control prices and profiteering.

People have been thronging the utility stores to get vegetable ghee and oil at price twice lower than that in the open market. But the franchise outlets are literally humiliating the customers including women and aged persons as there seems no check and balance on their working.