The country’s planning minister seems to have anticipated widespread incidents of price hike and hoarding of essential commodities by unscrupulous people during Ramazan, or ahead of this holy month.
That is why perhaps he has asked the relevant authorities to pull their socks up by ensuring, among other things, that the difference between wholesale and retail prices should be kept at an ‘‘appropriate’’ level.
The minister has also ordered the formulation of an effective strategy aimed at preventing or forestalling all the activities that are normally associated with the crime of hoarding.
In my view, the government needs to work really harder in order to ensure that the economic gains that it has achieved so far are not squandered away by showing complacency towards the dual objective of price stability monitoring and ensuring availability of essential goods during the month of Ramazan.
Approving disbursement of Rs 20 billion among the needy through the Ramazan Package is a welcome step, but ensuring price stability across the country during Ramazan will be no less important step.
It is a fact that prices of essential goods are reduced in this month in various Middle East countries. But ordinary citizens of this country are only expecting stable prices for essential commodities, including food, during this holy month.
Samiullah Kakar, Quetta
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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