LAHORE, Nov 5: The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has condemned the hike in prices of vegetables and Punjab government’s failure to control the situation.

“We condemn the horrible increase in the prices of vegetables and inefficiency of the provincial government and its subsidiary institutions for failing to control the prices,” MPAs Aamir Sultan Cheema, Basima Riaz Chaudhry and Ahmad Shah Khagga said in a joint statement issued here on Tuesday while submitting an adjournment motion on the issue to the Punjab Assembly secretariat.

They said the agriculture and food departments as well as price control institutions completely failed in discharging their responsibilities, therefore, the ministers and secretaries concerned should resign.

Mr Cheema, a former irrigation minister, said a large-scale protest was also being lodged in the Indian Punjab over the increase in the vegetable prices but still the rates of vegetables there were 100 to 200 per cent less than in Pakistani Punjab.

He said as the poor people were facing great difficulties, so the government should import vegetables from neighbouring countries to control the crisis.

The MPAs said 80 million people of the province were facing hard times so far as the increase in the vegetable prices were concerned but they regretted that neither a single statement was issued either by the chief minister or any respective minister nor any strategy was seen in this regard.

They have also attached a chart with their adjournment motion giving a comparison of different vegetable prices in the Indian and Pakistani Punjab.

COMPARISON OF VEGETABLES RATES

Item Indian Punjab Pakistani Punjab

Tomatoes Rs30 to 50 per kilo, Rs150

Onion Rs12 to 30 per kilo Rs70 per kilo

Bhindi (lady finger) Rs12 to 30 per kilo Rs80 per kilo

Gobhi (cauliflower) Rs10 to 25 per kilo Rs80 per kilo

(green peas) Rs30 to 60 per kilo Rs100 per kilo