UNLIKE the rest of the Muslim world, where the governments go out of their way to facilitate the public, people in Pakistan are left all on their own to deal with the ever-increasing inflation. There are no brownie points for guessing as to why the prices of essential items start skyrocketing only a few weeks before Ramazan.

Essential commodities — from fruits, vegetables, oil and ghee to meat — are all being sold at mind-numbing prices. Unfortunately, the government and the price control authorities are nowhere to be seen. Traders are looting people in broad daylight as no meaningful action is ever taken against them.

The government and the price control authorities are urged to pay surprise visits to the local markets to see the situation for themselves and then control it. They should work together to control this artificial inflation so that people could observe Ramazan with some peace of mind.

Ashfaq Sharif
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2021