Despite tall claims by the government and incentives offered in the budget, shopkeepers are fleecing consumers by charging high prices. The miseries of common man are increasing to many folds but the district administration particularly price control committee has no role to address these problems, which have been witnessed just after the announcement of the budget.
Most of the articles of daily use including cigarette of various brands are being sold at a high price. Vegetables; fruit, eggs, chicken, meat and beef prices are touching highest point and crushing general public in Sialkot and other parts of the district. Meat was being sold on Rs 290 per kg while beef on Rs 170 per kg in Sialkot but no body dares to check this alarming price hick.
In most of the city bazaars and commercial markets the potato and onion are being sold at Rs 20 per kg, ginger Rs 70 kg, tomatoes Rs 40 kg, chicken Rs 105 kg and eggs at Rs 35 per dozen, ghee Rs 80 per kg in Sialkot. The price-hick had not only creating the miseries for common man but also multi-plying economic problems day by day in the district.
Under the prevailing alarming price-hick situation shopkeepers are busy in minting money with both hands by charging high prices but there is no one exists to check the profiteers in the district. The local labour department has badly failed to check the weight measures, in resulting shopkeepers are fleecing the people.
Similarly, a large number of vehicle owners are continuously complains about the defective measures at various petrol pumps of Sialkot. It seems the district administration has given free hands to the shopkeepers to earn maximum profit.
Meanwhile, general public and socio-political circles have appealed to the concerned authorities to take immediate remedial measures for checking the defective measures of different filling stations and shopkeepers for protecting the skin of common man.