KOHAT: In the absence of any effective official check, the butchers here have increased the prices of beef and mutton ahead of Ramazan.

It was noted that butchers had been selling beef at Rs700-750 per kilogramme and mutton at up to Rs1,400 per kilogramme. The administration after a meeting with the office-bearers of the butchers association had fixed the price of beef at Rs450 per kg and mutton at Rs950 per kg.

When asked about the high prices, the butchers told this correspondent that there was a shortage of cattle in the local market and they had to bring them from Punjab bearing huge travel expenses of big vehicles ranging between Rs17,000 and Rs20,000 each.

They said that goats and lambs available in tribal districts had been reserved for sale on Eidul Azha.

Besides, fruit prices have also seen sharp increase in the district. The residents have urged the administration and food controllers to take action against butchers and fruit sellers.

SASTA BAZAARS: The district administration has set up five sasta bazaars for provision of flour and other edibles on controlled rates during Ramazan.

A statement issued here said the bazaars had been set upin Darra Adamkhel, Lachi and Gumbat tehsils and the fruit and vegetable markets in Kohat city.

Theywill function under the supervision of deputy commissioner Roshan Mehsud and district food controller Adil Bacha. The rate of 10kg flour bag has been fixed at Rs550.

PROTEST: The business community here on Thursday staged a protest against the tehsil municipal administration for not addressing their complaints regarding ensuring repair of faulty street lights in the bazaars and city.

They gathered in front of the girls’ higher secondary school No 1 in Zargraan Bazaar and raised slogans against the tehsil municipal officer. They said the Pesco officials did not respond to their complaints and set a 12-hour deadline for repair of the faulty street lights.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2022