ISLAMABAD, June 11: Members from both the treasury and opposition benches have expressed concern over the price-hike in the country and criticized the government for its failure to keep the prices of kitchen items under control.
The members were speaking on a call-attention notice regarding 'constant increase in the prices of mutton and beef in the country causing grave concern amongst the public'.
The notice was moved by the Pakistan Muslim League MNA, Bushra Rahman. Speaking on the occasion, the PML MNA said, being a housewife, she had been facing great difficulties in making the budget of her kitchen.
Ms Rahman said few months back, beef was available for Rs80 per kilogramme while mutton for Rs160 per kilogramme. Currently, she said, beef was being sold at Rs150 per kilogramme and mutton at Rs250 per kilogramme.
She said the finance minister prepared budget one time for 365 days but they had to review their budget every day. "Every year, profiteering and hoarding take place before the budget and what steps the government is taking to curb these practices," she said.
The PML MNA said if this was the situation before the budget then what would be the condition of people after presentation of the budget. These remarks of the MNA received a big applaud from the opposition members who thumped their desks.
Pakistan People's Party (Sherpao) MNA from Bunair, Sher Akbar Khan, also criticized the government for its failure to effectively check price-hike. "The price of every item has been doubled. What is the government doing?," he asked.
Samia Raheel Qazi of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) said mutton and beef had gone out of reach of the poor owing to increase in its prices. She said the government would announce a budget on Saturday which would only be a jugglery of figures.
She said like previous budgets, the poor people would not get any relief. In the absence of Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Yar Mohammad Rind, the parliamentary secretary Rajab Ali Khan Baloch responded to the questions raised by the members.
Giving reasons for the price-hike, the parliamentary secretary said the recent increase in prices was owing to the short supply of mutton and beef. "The prices always rise with the demand and supply principle," he added.
The secretary said a large number of people had shifted to mutton and beef due to the recent bird flu virus infection in chickens. Moreover, he said, the animals were in short supply as there had been drought conditions in the areas, like Dadu and Tharparkar, where these animals were taken for grazing.
He rejected the impression that this hike in prices had anything to do with the forthcoming budget. "Prices began to increase in December, last year, when there was not even the talk about budget," he said.
He said the population growth had also an effect over supply of mutton and beef. Moreover, he said, monitoring of the prices of items was a responsibility of the provincial governments.