PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Wednesday summoned the Peshawar deputy commissioner along with relevant record, asking him to explain his position over recent increase in price of roti (bread) in the district by Rs5.

The bench fixed July 24 for next hearing of a writ petition, challenging the decision of the district administration of raising price of bread with the direction that if the deputy commissioner did not turn up the court would reverse his decision.

The petition is filed by several citizens including Farhan Arif and others, stating that the order of the deputy commissioner was arbitrary and aimed at appeasing the nanbais (bread bakers).

A former deputy attorney general, Mohammad Khursheed Khan, appeared for the petitioners and contended that the decision of the deputy commissioner amounted to snatching morsel from the mouth of poor citizens.

He stated that the nanbais were earlier selling a single roti at Rs10 and were making illegal demand for raising the price of the commodity. He stated that on July 11, the nanbais across the district observed strike for their unjust demand.

He argued that the district administration succumbed to the illegal demand of the nanbais and in an arbitrary manner ordered to raise the price of roti by Rs5, which was 50 per cent increase in the price.

Mr Khan contended that the deputy commissioner had not consulted the price review committee and the elected representatives. He added that the trend would encourage the profiteers to observe frequent strikes and pressurise the administration to increase prices of different commodities.

The counsel requested the bench to suspend the notification issued by the district administration. However, the bench observed that it would create complications and would make any such order after going through the record.

The counsel stated that they had also been planning to start a movement for making bread at home instead of purchasing it from nanbais, which would discourage such profiteers.

In lighter vein, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim observed that such like movement would increase burden on women at home. Justice Mussarat Hilali observed that they thought that the administration would increase the price to Rs12, but it was enhanced to Rs15.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2019