Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Sasta Bazaars in different parts of the country are providing relief to consumers by selling edible items at affordable prices during Ramadan.

A report aired by a TV channel said that the Sasta Bazaars, a yearly initiative of the government, have not only broken the monopoly of the profiteers in the fruit and vegetable market but also kept the prices of fruit and veggies elsewhere under strict control.

Consumers said they were happy to see a substantial difference in the prices of veggies and fruits during this month. “When I compare the prices with what used to be in the first few days of Ramadan, I feel as if I am buying for free,” remarked Ahmed Shahzad, holding bags of veggies and fruits at a local Sasta Bazaar.

When asked, thevendors said even at this price, they were earning and not losing.

“I daily bring a truckload of fruits from different towns of the Punjab and Alhamdulillah I am earning a good amount of money from my sales at the rates fixed by the civic authorities on a daily basis,” said Kashif, 62, a vendor.

“These Bazaars have influenced the markets, as shopkeepers found themselves bound to sell their commodities at reasonable prices in order to keep their businesses going,” an official Asim Bukhari said.

The price list issued for saturday Sasta Bazaars shows that the rates of most fruits and vegetables were much lower than their prices in the open market.

The customers visiting weekly bazaars, at the same time have appealed to the concerned officials to ensure a strict check on the price list by stallholders particularly those selling fruits. They said that during Ramazan, profiteers create problems for the common people.