May 16, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 10, 1429

KARACHI, May 15: Retailers have decided to stop procuring milk from wholesalers in protest against the ruthless price control drive carried on by the city government. This was stated by a spokesman for the All Karachi Milk Retailers Association while talking to Dawn on Thursday.

The spokesman, Waheed Gadi, said: “We have to procure milk from the wholesale market at Rs34 per litre and the government compels us not to charge above Rs32 per litre from consumers. How is it possible?” He strongly criticised the city government for arresting retailers and imposing heavy fines for charging above Rs32 per litre, and pointed out that Karachi appeared to be the only city in the country where such an unrealistic price regulation system had been imposed on milk-sellers.

Maintaining that retailers could not continue with the loss-making business anymore, he said: “We have, therefore, decided to stop buying milk from wholesalers with whom we have a yearly contract.”