Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has apparently failed to implement the approved prices of fruits and vegetables during the holy month of Ramazan as vendors in most of the sectors of the federal capital are busy in making a quick buck by charging the prices of their own will.

During visits to different fruit and vegetable shops in G8, G9, and G10 sectors of Islamabad, the shopkeepers were found violating the rate lists provided to them by the ICT administration on daily basis.

The administration has fixed the price of apples at Rs 180 per kg but the price in markets is Rs 350-500 per kg. The rate of banana on the list is Rs 195 per dozen but the market price is about Rs 250. Similarly melon price is Rs 45 per kg but the market rates is around Rs 120;pear price is Rs210 but the market price is Rs 300; peach rate is Rs 170 per kg while market price is Rs250;mango price is Rs 150 per kg while the market rate is Rs 250-300 per kg.

Vegetables are also being sold at exorbitant prices. According to the ICT-approved rate list, onion price is Rs 26 per kg while its market price is Rs 45; tomato is Rs 24 per kg while its market price is Rs 40;lemon price is Rs 175 per kg while its market price is Rs 260 per kg;green peas are Rs 85 per kg while its market price is Rs120; bitter gourd price on the list is Rs 50 per kg while in the open market it is being sold at Rs 80 per kg.

Asad Sheikh, a worker at a local hospital who was purchasing vegetables from a shop in G9 Markaz, said that shopkeepers won’t even listen to if their attention is drawn towards difference in prices written on the ICT-approved rate list and the one they are actually charging.

A local taxi driver in G-9 sector told Daily Times that the passenger ratio is very low during the holy month of Ramazan, but on the other side, the rates of fruits and vegetables are so high that a common man can’t even think of buying those.

When contacted, an ICT administration spokesman said that 20 committees headed by a magistrate have been formed in Islamabad to conduct surprise visits to different sectors and check prices of the commodities. He said so far 94 shopkeepers have been fined and around 15 profiteers have also been arrested.

However, a local fruit seller told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that only one surprise visit had been made so far and only two shopkeepers were fined.

Published in Daily Times, May 25^th 2018.