Daily Times

Kamran Cheema, Administrator Market Committee Islamabad and Director Industry Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), has said that efforts are being made to improve the supply chain system to ensure delivery of goods in the markets at normal prices.

Cheema said this during his visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) where he discussed matters regarding price control and improved delivery of goods in the wholesale market in the capital with office-bearers of ICCI. ICCI President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, SVP Fatma Azim, VP Abdul Rehman Khan, and representatives of various markets were present in the meeting.

Cheema said that prices depend on the supply and demand in the market and efforts are being made to improve the supply chain system to ensure delivery of goods in the market at normal prices. He said that cooperation between the business community and the wholesale market is important for price control.

He said that efforts would be made to supply a price list in the morning in markets. Sector wise decisions will be made by taking the trade associations of various markets into confidence. He said that the development work remains to be done in the wholesale market while the sanitation system is being improved and the issue of entry fee will also be resolved.

Speaking at the occasion, Sardar Yasir said that ICCI has established good working relations with the district administration for better protection of the interests of the business community and citizens; however, the issues regarding the price list should be addressed in consultation with the business community.

He said that the wholesale market is playing an important role in the supply of goods in the capital; however, auction of price lists is creating some discrepancies leading to difference in prices. He said that the rents of shops in Islamabad are very high which also have an impact on the prices.

He said that a price list should be issued to every sector by taking the vendors of fruits and vegetables in confidence and steps should be taken to maintain the prices of essential commodities at a reasonable level to save the citizens from inflation. However, he was of the view that the imposition of heavy fines was not the better solution to such problems.

The market representatives hoped that the market committee would take the business community into confidence in matters related to price fixing and would make decisions with an aim to better protect the interests of the business community and citizens.