Substandard items sold by USC, rotten vegetable, fruits by vendors: curfew break brings no relief to people

In a curfew break in Sector G-6 on Friday, Utility Stores, in mobile vans, sold substandard items of daily use, and in Melody Market, shopkeepers sold rotten vegetables, fruits and other edibles at double of usual, price thus fleecing the besieged people.
The G-6 residents are facing hardships due to imposition of curfew and continuous shelling in the locality. The administration announced relaxation in curfew for three hours from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm.
However, the break was not applicable in the areas around Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa as security has been beefed up in the federal capital with strict vigilance at all entry and exit points.
Rotten vegetables and fruits were sold at exorbitant prices. Milk packets price, that is normally sold for Rs 13, was being sold at Rs 25, and flour, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, fruits and other edibles and commodities were sold at 100 percent profit.
Moreover, people faced difficulties as most of them waited in long queues to purchase food items from the utility stores mobile vans. Most of the people failed to purchase anything in the presence of huge crowds even in the stipulated three-hour curfew relaxation.
Moreover, most of the people had to offer their Jumma prayer and visit Deputy Commissioner office to obtain curfew passes. About 350 people gathered at Deputy Commissioner office to obtain curfew passes. However, curfew passes were issued to only 10-15 influential persons as they had contacts with high officers of military and police.
The plight of those government officials, who were not issued curfew passes, was writ large on their faces as they had spent all three hours of curfew break in long queues waiting for curfew passes.
Government officials living in G-6 area have run out of cash as the salary to these officials is paid to them through National Bank Main branch in Melody, and the cash amount of their salaries was not transferred to the bank. National Bank main branch in Melody had announced in written notice on the wall for the government officials that their salaries cash amount had not been transferred due to Lal Masjid operation.