SWABI: Price of fruits and vegetables have increased manifold just a few days before the start of Ramazan in Swabi district, consumers complained on Friday.

The consumers are worried as to how they would be able to meet the needs of their families due to exorbitant prices of fruits and vegetables.

The price of apple has jumped from Rs250 per kilogramme to Rs350, guava from Rs150 to Rs250, strawberry from Rs250 to Rs400, banana from Rs180 to Rs300 per dozen, orange from Rs300 to Rs500 per dozen and kinnow from Rs200 to Rs300 per dozen.

Mohammad Ali of Maneri Bala area said the stage was set for rampant profiteering during Ramazan. He said Pakistan was a unique country where prices of fruits always skyrocketed in Ramazan, but the government failed to control the prices despite the fact the district administrations constituted price control committees every year.

Similarly, prices of vegetables have also witnessed a sharp increase. The price of cucumber has risen from Rs150 to Rs200 per kg, brinjal from Rs100 to Rs180, onion from Rs150 to Rs200, okra from Rs150 to Rs200, ridge gourd from Rs160 to Rs200 and carrot from Rs100 to Rs140.

Ahmad Ali of Swabi city said profiteering by vegetable vendors had made it difficult for consumers to make both ends meet.

CONDEMNED: The All Class-IV Employees Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has strongly condemned the issuance of orders by head teachers/headmasters of government schools to the watchmen to perform duty for 24 hours, saying it was an open violation of the Peshawar High Court’s verdict.

The court order says that all the Class-IV employees, including watchmen, will perform duty for eight hours daily.

Speaking at a meeting held here on Friday, the association’s leaders demanded that the court should take notice of violation of its orders. They also warned that if the ‘illegal’ orders were not withdrawn, they would file a contempt petition with the court.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2023