ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: The Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) on Saturday said the government had failed to check profiteering and hoarding of essential items in the holy month of Ramazan.

In a statement, the local NGO’s general secretary, Abrar Hafeez, said price control mechanism developed by the state had been ineffective in checking rising prices of essential items.

“The establishment is robbing the people and country both by raising prices of wheat at home and exporting and smuggling bumper wheat crop to other countries.

“It is becoming difficult for consumers to purchase flour despite about 23.5 million tons of wheat produced this year which is higher than the annual domestic consumption of about 22 million tons,” he said.— Staff Reporter