KARACHI, Feb 26: Milk-sellers are preparing for a shutter down strike from Monday against a crackdown launched by the city government against them.

The milk-sellers alleged that they are being harassed by officials for no fault, and they are only arresting retailers, issuing them warnings, and not taking any action against wholesalers who are actually to be blamed for an increase in milk prices.

President and General Secretary of All-Karachi Milk Retailers Welfare Association (AKMRWA), Haji Abdul Rasheed and Ishrat Khan, said the association members have decided to close their businesses from Monday which means that they will not lift milk from wholesalers on Sunday night and morning.

Sources said that the city government is still sticking to its stand and arresting retailers only, instead of taking action against dairy farmers or wholesalers who have actually increased prices.

They retailers representatives further said they would not attend a meeting convened by the city government's higher-ups on Monday for negotiations. They said that they have no plans to open their shops, instead they would be registering their protest against harassment of milk retailers who are definitely not behind the increasing prices of milk.

The retailers' representatives further said that over 50 milk retailers had been sent behind the bars, while hundreds have been issued warnings for overcharging.

Around one million retailers, including those who are engaged in home delivery business would not supply milk to consumers on Monday, they claimed, adding that Karachi consumes an estimated 15,000-16,000 maund milk per day (excluding tetra pack milk).

"How can we sell milk at Rs 22 a litre when it costs us Rs 22.50 a litre in the wholesale," they said.

They claimed that many milk retailers are selling milk at Rs 22-24 per litre because of fear of being arrested, but one can imagine the quality of milk at a low price. The low rate milk contains high quantity of water, they added.

They said why the City government is not taking interest in retailers' problems relating to high utility bill charges, coupled with an increase in wages of workers and rates of shopping bags.

Retailers asked the government to first check the price at the wholesale and then monitor prices at retail level.

Currently, retailers are not ready to approach the Sindh High Court against the City Nazim for taking an action against milk retailers only, Ishrat Khan said, adding the future course of action would be decided later as retailers are contacting the Rabita Committee of Mutahida Quomi Movement.

EDO Enterprise and Investment Promotion (EIP), Raeesuddin Paracha defended the government's move of launching a crackdown on retailers only instead of wholesalers.

"We are arresting the retailers because they have a direct contact with consumers. Besides, retailers are also in large numbers as compared to wholesalers," he said.

He said if retailers decide to refrain from buying milk at higher rates from wholesalers, they would be compelled to curtail prices. Unfortunately this is not happening.

Paracha said that crackdown is against both wholesalers and retailers. The government has also arrested some wholesalers in Bin Qasim and Landhi area, he said.

Sources said that a secret deal had taken place between milk sellers, dairy farmers and the city government officials, thus allowing them to sell milk at Rs 25 a liter.

The chief of the Dairy Farmers Association Haji Mohammad Akhtar said that the government had fixed milk price of Rs 22 in 1999 and it still wants to maintain the same prices despite a 100 per cent incease in prices of animals, fodder, feed and other ingredients.

He said in case the government fails to issue a new notification of increased prices, a severe milk shortage would occur in the city, rendering dairy farmers to close their businesses, and thus thousands of people would be rendered jobless, and the city government would be responsible for this situation.