KARACHI, April 7: The city government's efforts to check milk prices have virtually failed and consumers are still paying Rs 25 a litre instead of Rs 22 in almost all parts of the metropolis.

A meeting between dairy farmers, retailers, wholesalers, the City Nazim and other senior city government officials on Tuesday which discussed the price-hike at length, remained inconclusive and it could not fix prices. Farmers and retailers continued to urge the Nazim to stop the arrest of retailers for overcharging.

Sources said the City Nazim remained firm on his stand that the rates, being charged by retailers, are unjustified. He said he would not allow anybody to usurp the rights of the common man. Naimatullah Khan dispelled the contention of dairy farmers that the city government is victimising farmers and wholesalers on price issue.

In reply, the Nazim said the dairy farmers, wholesalers and retailers, both were unjustified in selling the most essential item at a higher rate. In view of the failure of talks, the District Coordination Officer will hold a meeting with DDOs in the next two days to chalk out a future strategy to contain the prices.

Sources said that non-cooperation of police with the district revenue officers in the price checking exercise can be blamed as the main reason behind failure to bring down prices. Besides, DDOs also appear half-hearted in checking profiteering with a dedication as they lack magisterial powers.

According to the city government official, at least 10 persons namely - Taj Mohammad, M. Shahid, M. Yaqub, M. Asif, M. Mehmood, M. Afzal, M. Sadiq, Nadeem, M.Sajid and Khalid Javed were arrested in Orangi Town area on Wednesday for selling milk at Rs 26 per litre.

The official said as many as 200 persons (including retailers of atta) had been arrested in the last one month for selling atta and milk at higher rates. Sources said that milksellers feel harassed in case of their arrest by the police as they have to stay for at least one day in jail. However, they are not bothered about imposition of fines on the spot as they know how to recover from consumers.

"A 10 kg ice bar, which is placed in the middle by the milk seller in a milk utensil at a huge milk tub, generates around one kg of water," sources said. Dairy farmers had been arguing with the government over the rates by saying that prices of each and every commodity have increased in the last four years except milk. They said that buffalo prices had gone up to Rs 30,000-40,000 per animal from Rs 15,000-18,000.

A dairy farmer, on condition of anonymity, said that a large number of buffaloes had been smuggled into Afghanistan, causing animal shortage. The city government official said no smuggling of livestock had taken place.

Milk retailers in different areas said they are bound to sell milk at Rs 25 a litre since they are procuring it at Rs 23 from distributors and dairy farmers. The government officials said that the government is ready to resolve the problems of dairy farmers but it cannot compromise on the high milk price of Rs 25 per litre.

This is third consecutive failure of the city government in containing the prices. Earlier, it could not achieve any major success in containing atta prices despite frequent arrest of retailers. Consumers still recall that in Ramazan owing to laggard performance of price regulators, they paid too high.

Sources said the city government always victimises shopkeepers and gives a cover to its inefficiency instead of taking stock of the situation at the wholesale and dairy farming levels.

Atta price fixed at Rs12 a kg