SWABI: People have started purchasing commodities in advance for the upcoming fasting month out of fear that it will be difficult for them to visit markets in the harsh summer.

They told Dawn that they were buying imperishable items as it was going to be very difficult to get out in the scorching sun while keeping fast.

The residents said they also planned to pass the fasting days while staying on the banks of the Indus River and canals.

“The prolonged loadshedding would make the fasting more difficult and harsh for us in sizzling weather,” Abdul Qayyum Khan of Tordher said.

Traders in the district headquarters said purchase of commodities like wheat flour, cooking oil, ghee, potato, onion, basin, pluses, cold drinks, etc had increased during the last few days.

Laiq Khan, president of Anjuamn-i-Dokandaran, told Dawn that the buying would gain momentum after May 31 when public sector employees got their salary.

However, consumers complained that though the fasting month was blessing for Muslims, business community minted more and more profits in the holy month due to higher demand of commodities, particularly eatables.

“Ramazan often means exorbitant prices of daily use items, particularly vegetables and fruits,” Rajwali Khan of Maneri Bala said.

The people said the government-formed price control committees failed to control prices.

Meanwhile, relevant officials said they had yet to receive any instructions regarding constitution of price control committees in the district headquarters and four tehsil municipal administrations.

And, political parties’ leaders said the price control committees should be empowered to keep a check on profiteering in the local markets. Tamraiz Khan, former ANP district general secretary, said PTI-led provincial government had so far failed to keep prices of commodities under check.

Javid Iqilabi, PPP district president, stressed the need for an effective mechanism to control prices in Ramazan.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016