RAWALPINDI: After a week into Ramazan, the local administration has failed to bring down prices of food items with the divisional administration still considering establishing another Sasta fruit and vegetable Sasta bazaar.

This year, only two Sasta bazaars were established in the garrison city.

When Shehbaz Sharif was the chief minister, the district administration used to set up 16 Sasta bazaars in the district with eight of them in the garrison city.

These bazaars were established at Haideri Chowk, Shamsabad, Committee Chowk, Khyaban-i-Sir Syed, Gulzar-i-Quaid, Chur Chowk, Adiala Road. But this year, only one such bazaar has been established at Chur Chowk and another at Shamsabad.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that there was a plan to establish another Sasta bazaar in the city.

He said that the divisional administration was yet to decide where the bazaar will be established.

“There is a proposal to establish the wholesale market at Rawal Road but it is yet to be confirmed,” he said.

On the other hand, the residents said mostly people had completed their Ramazan shopping of dry food items like wheat flour, sugar, tea, cooking oil at higher prices and now they buy fruits and vegetables on daily basis.

“The Sasta bazaar is established at Chur Chowk from where people living in and around the area will benefit. Residents of other areas have to purchase fruits and vegetables from markets at higher rates,” said Mohammad Majid, a resident of Mohanpura.

He said people who work in Islamabad and other parts of the city had no time for shopping in Sasta bazaars located away from their houses.

Naseer Malik, a resident of Teli Mohallah, said that it was wastage of time to go to the Sasta bazaar at a far-away place to get some fruits and vegetables. Moreover, he said, the quality of food items in the Sasta bazaar was not maintained.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Aamir Khattak visited Ramazan Sasta Bazaar at Shamsabad and reviewed the sale of food items.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema and other concerned officials were also present.

The commissioner inquired about the availability of food items from the buyers and directed the officials to further improve the facilities on the suggestions of consumers.

He also directed them to ensure the display of rate list at prominent places at the bazaar.

Also, the officials and officers on duty should ensure that common man is being facilitated fully at the bazaar.

He said the wholesale bazaar was an initiative to provide essential food items to the consumers at controlled rates in the holy month.

He claimed that food items were not only available in the bazaar in abundance but were 20 to 25 per cent cheaper than the market.

He said their quality was also being ensured.

The commissioner directed that representatives of all concerned departments should be present in the bazaar to help and guide the public.

He said the performance of the price magistrates was also being monitored by Special Branch and the Urban Unit.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024