ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: The chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior, Senator Muhammad Talha Mehmood, has expressed concern over skyrocketing prices of kitchen items that greeted Ramazan.

He said numerous complaints were being received about the alarming increase in prices and urged the respective administrations to take stern action against profiteers who were making it very difficult for the common man to run his kitchen and survive.

The committee chairman also called upon the Islamabad district administration to keep a tight control over prices and also ensure the quality of perishable commodities.

Regarding Sasta Bazaars, the senator said they seem to be too few in number, compared to what was needed and demanded immediate steps to increase them but with a proper check over prices.

ICCI: The president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Nasir Khan, while administering oath to new office-bearers of the G-8/1 Traders’ Association, demanded the government to check the price hike with “an iron hand.”

He said the price control magistrates deputed by the provincial government were supposed to control prices but, unfortunately, their writ was almost non-existent in the twin cities as they had failed to check prices in markets.

The administration is only checking prices of kitchen items —like wheat flour, sugar, vegetable ghee, cooking oil, pulses and rice— but have failed to control those of fruits and vegetables.

He said the price control committees and city magistrates only checked street vendors but neglected the wholesale dealers and retailers who were fleecing consumers with utter disregard to Ramazan.

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) president said it had been observed that prices of fruits and vegetables had gone up by a whopping 30 to 50 per cent, just in the first five days of Ramazan.

He mentioned that the price of ghee had shot up by Rs80 for a 16-kg bag and that of other essential commodities had also increased manifold at the onset of Ramadan, which had badly hit the poor and made their lives miserable.

Mr Khan, however, appreciated the government’s decision to import one million tons of wheat to overcome its shortage and bring down the price of flour.

He stated that although the prime minister had announced a special relief package just ahead of Ramazan but the hoarders and profiteers were simply ignoring it.

He demanded that the city magistrate and the price control committees should take strict measures against hoarders and profiteers.—Online