KOHAT: Traders here have been selling fresh fruit and dried fruit coming from Afghanistan, Tajikistan and China on exorbitant prices on the pretext that the district price control committee is not authorised to issue rates of foreign items.

The fruit sellers are selling black Chinese grapes for Rs400 per kilogramme, plum of Tajikistan and Afghanistan Rs200 per kg (local Rs80 per kg), Indian banana Rs250 per dozen (local between Rs40 and Rs100) and cherry for Rs250 per pack.

Saleh Mohammad, who runs a fruit shop in the main bazaar, said that people were ready to pay whatever price for non-seasonal fruit of good quality.

Answering a question, he said that the administration did not issue them rates for imported fruit. The local mango variety of Chonsa is being sold at Rs120 per kilogramme because of its increased use in packed juices.

Afghan almond of different qualities is available at prices ranging from Rs300 to Rs800 per kilogramme against wild almond from tribal areas sold at Rs150 per kg, Afghani apricot Rs800 per kg, dry grapes of Afghanistan (mewa sunder khani) Rs460 small and Rs700 large, and dry fig Rs800 per kg. Chilghoza pine is being sold at Rs4,000 per kilogramme.

ARRESTED: The Kohat police arrested an absconder wanted by Karak police in a murder case and 43 other suspects on Sunday.

A statement said that a police party was checking people at Shin Dhand near the border of Frontier Region Jawaki when it nabbed Ziaullah, a resident of Karak. According to police record, he was absconding since 2014.

During an operation in Junglekhel area and Afghan refugee camps the police arrested proclaimed offenders and other suspects and recovered two repeaters, two rifles, seven pistols and three kilogrammes of hashish. The Ustarzai police also recovered seven kilogrammes of hashish from two passengers.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2017