Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The claims made by the current government to bring down prices and bring down inflation to the lowest level in forty six years have proven hollow as the prices of food items in the federal capital portray a different picture.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) have failed to control the prices and the quality of edibles at markets located in the posh areas of Islamabad.

ADCG Abdul Sattar Isani, while talking to Daily Times, refused to take the responsibility of the price hike and the low quality of food being sold at Islamabad markets.

According to a recently conducted survey, the prices at the local markets of the federal capital are quite higher than in other districts. However, the prices of edibles in the elite class markets of posh sectors F-6, F-7, F-8, F-10 and F-11 have been going extremely high as no authority is interested in working efficiently to control the prices. It is worth mentioning here that the place at the markets for sitting purposes is given by the CDA for public use and is not the property of any one.

The shopkeepers have occupied these places as their own property and have used this land as they levelled with the CDA officials for their cause. In the unholy nexus of unquestioned administration and owners of markets, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has the jurisdiction to control the market price of all the edibles but due to a lack of interest the capital is being ruled by capitalism.

A visitor from Lahore, Mr. Hassan told Daily Times that he had a chance to visit the capital for first time in his life with his family and friends. When he visited Gol-Market at sector F-7 he reported that he had such a bad experience as the market sellers and waiters displayed rude behavior while serving the order. They charged fifty per cent extra prices than the rates printed on the board menu.

“Interestingly, when we called a waiter for drinking water he refused to entertain them except with mineral water”, he added.

When this scribe approached the administration of Gol Market and the shopkeepers, Asad said that this was a posh sector and the people could afford high price and there was also a concept of free market as well.

While surveying, the visitor Shakeel Zimri said that he observed that cans of regular soft drinks had been sold out at almost hundred per cent high prices at Gol-Market and Kohsar Market located in F-6.

The menu printed on the boards of that area shows that there is no writ of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) over the markets.

When contacted a waiter who requested not to be named revealed that the prices printed on the board was to fool the administration. When the customers asked about the charged bill and the price of the menu the waiter and the shopkeeper always excused and said that the printed prices were two to three years old.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) is the sole department which releases the weekly and monthly price list of all the types of commodities but it doesn’t exercise its powers the way it should.

When contacted, the Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told Daily Times that there is the responsibility of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to maintain their writ over there but “if there is any lose point it will be covered soon as I am talking the notice on it. Teams will be sent to check the circumstances and prices of all the markets including the markets of posh sectors”, he added.

When contacted, the mobile number of newly elected Mayor Shiekh Ansar was switched off even though he is the public representative of the people of the federal capital.

When contacted, the number of the president of Jinnah Super Market was switched off.

Captain Tahir Shehbaz Nadeem, the Director of Directorate of Municipal Authority at the CDA said that action would be taken after Sunday as the officials would come back to the offices after the EID holidays.

The space for the Goal Market is given by the CDA as a public place and anyone can buy their food even outside and enjoy their meal at that area as the place is not the ownership of any private person. It will not be allowed to abuse the capital land for commercialisation and if the administration of that particular market misbehaves with the public and does not allow the public to enjoy there then strict action will be taken against them.

Additional District Commissioner General (ADCG) Abdul Sattar Isani said in this regard that it was not the responsibility of the ICT to maintain the writ at private hotels.

He mentioned that if one buys a bottle of mineral water from Marriot it would be costly than it was at other markets. The ICT has the responsibility of checking the quality of food and not the prices. When questioned about the printed price and the charged price, he said it would be checked by their officials and if it happens, the ICT will take action against it. It is pertinent to mention here that the District Commissioner and the ADCG are responsible for the price and quality control of more than 400 essential commodities under the prevention of proliferation and hoarding act 1977 which has been passed by the Parliament of Pakistan. It is also a twist that under the adulteration acts and rules 2004 the DC and the ADCG are responsible for quality checking.

This includes external factors as appearance (size, shape, colour, gloss, and consistency), texture, and flavour; factors such as federal grade standards etc but the ADCG denies that his department does not have the responsibility of checking the prices and the quality of food.