SHANGLA: The Ramazan Sasta bazaars set up by the district administration across Shangla were deserted as neither any vendor nor buyer was seen there on the fast day of the fasting month because the traders were not ready to enforce the officially-issued pricelist.

Residents of Bisham, Alpuri, Puran and Lelonai told journalists on Tuesday that the district administration had set up Sasta bazaars in these areas the other day, but soon after the inauguration the vendors left the bazaars and went back to their previous locations.

Attaullah Khan Bishami, a councillor from Butyal III, said opening of the Sasta bazaars was only a photo session by the district administration officials as there were neither sellers nor buyers in these bazaars.

Vendors say they cannot enforce official pricelist

Ali Akbar, a resident of Lelonai, said after the opening ceremony of the Sasta bazaar in the area on Monday, vegetable vendors started selling outside the bazaar at their own rates.

He said when locals asked the additional deputy commissioner about the vendors avoiding to set up stalls in the bazaar, he assured them that they would be made to set up outlets in the bazaar on Tuesday, but the bazaar also remained deserted on the first day of Ramazan.

Shakir Ali, a vendor, told Dawn that they could not afford to sell items as per the pricelist issued by the district administration.

The local people demanded of the administration to ensure that the Sasta bazaars ran smoothly throughout the fasting month to give some relief to the people.

Meanwhile, assistant commissioner, Alpuri, Fidaul Karim inspected different shops in the Shahpur Bazaar of Kana tehsil and directed the traders to avoid artificial price hike. He also checked quality of food items.

SECURITY PLAN: The district police have devised a security plan for keeping peace in the district during the fasting month.

DPO Syed Rasool Shah issued a circular on Tuesday, saying that a comprehensive security plan had been devised for the fasting month, under which, security of the markets had been increased, while the lady police would be deployed in the women-specific shopping areas. It said the police would also remain vigilant at the mosques during the Taraweeh prayers.

According to the circular, the SDPOs and SHOs have been directed to ensure that no unwanted incident occurred in their respective jurisdictions.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2019