MULTAN, Feb 13: Increasing prices of zinc sheets, angle-strips and iron in the local market has almost stopped the construction work after an increase in the price of cement.

Imported zinc sheets are being sold at Rs57 per kg, iron Rs41 and angle-strips Rs41 per kg against their previous prices of Rs51, Rs36 and Rs37.

A shopkeeper said the international market was stable and iron and steel prices had not plummeted but Pakistani importers had increased Rs4,000 per tonne on their own, which had also resulted in increase of zinc sheets and angle-strips prices. Traders have demanded the price of iron goods be in accordance with the international market.

Moreover, construction companies have rejected the new price of a cement bag — Rs260 — fixed by the government.

Ahmed Khan, vice president of the Contractors’ Association, said a cement bag was being sold at Rs180 but manufacturing companies had supplied their products to black market to sell it at Rs330.

Instead of taking any strict action against manufacturing companies, the government had increased the price of cement that was injustice with the people, he said. He said that government was earlier paying compensation to Building Department’s contractors but now the government had denied compensations for those contractors whose contracts were worth Rs500,000 or less.

Jahangir Khan Tareen, federal minister for industry and production, was not available for comments. — Shakeel Ahmad