MANSEHRA, Oct 17: The authorities have failed to check an unprecedented rise in the prices of essential commodities before Ramazan in the district.
Traders and shopkeepers have started hoarding their goods for profiteering during the month.
A rise of Rs50 has been witnessed in the price of a 40kg bag of flour, Rs90 in 16kg tin of vanaspati ghee and Rs25 per kilogramme of chicken.
The prices of fruits and vegetables are also skyrocketing as the price of tomato has been doubled during a week to Rs32 to Rs35 per kilogramme.
The consumers are also critical of the levying of 10 per cent sales tax on edible oil and vanaspati ghee.
They hold the district government responsible for its failure to control the prices.
They said the problem was a result of doing away with the magistrate system, which according to them was an effective watchdog against profiteering by the shopkeepers and traders.
They demanded that the authorities carve out an effective system for controlling the prices and discouraging the traders and shopkeepers from fleecing the consumers in Ramazan.
ARRESTED: Police have arrested a proclaimed offender Taj Mohammad alias Tidda in an encounter near Khawari about 18km west of Mansehra.
Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday SSP Mansehra Ehsan Tufail informed that Taj Mohammad was wanted by the police in different cases of murder, robbery and kidnapping.
He said Taj Mohammad belonged to the Sardara group of proclaimed offenders hiding in Danna.
The SSP said that a police party was patrolling the area when Taj and his accomplices began firing at it. The police responded by retaliating, as a result of which Taj Mohammad received injuries and was arrested.
The SSP termed the arrest a big breakthrough which would help break the network of criminals in Danna. He added Taj Mohammad was at large from the time he committed very first murder in 1995.
He said the two rival groups of offenders in Danna were close relatives who had developed enmity due to a dispute over a divorced woman that belonged to one of the families.
He said the Sardara group was led by Sardar Mohammad while Sikandar was the leader of the Kanda group.