9 ‘sasta’ bazaars to be established in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi: To break the back of profiteers and hoarders, local management has decided to establish nine ‘Ramazan Sasta Bazaars’ in the jurisdictions of city and cantonment board limits during the holy month of Ramazan. The ‘Sasta’ Bazaars will start operations from May 15 for providing relief to consumers during the holy month.

On the other hand, profiteers and hoarders in open market have started flexing their muscles to loot public and are selling all kitchen items including chicken, mutton and beef on skyrocketing prices before start of Ramazan.

The Ramazan ‘Sasta’ Bazaars have been set up at Committee Chowk, Nawaz Sharif Park, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Haidri Chowk, Dhoke Hassu, Chungi Number 22, Adiala Road, Gulzar-e-Quaid and Chur Chowk on Peshawar Road.

The deputy commissioner (DC), Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal has said that availability of all daily-use commodities would be ensured during Ramazan in sasta bazaars. Special directives have also been issued to display the rate lists of all commodities with phone numbers of those in charge of the bazaars and emergency services, he said.

He also said that district administration has formed special teams to monitor profiteers and hoarders in open market during Ramazan. “Ramazan bazaars would provide quality and fresh articles to the buyers on reasonable rates. Vegetables and fruit would be available at subsidized rates as compared to the open market. Each bazaar would also have a control room with separate waiting places for males and females will be arranged,” he said.

On the other hand, profiteers and hoarders have started looting public in open market and butchers are selling 1-kilogram mutton at Rs1000, beef at Rs550 and chicken at Rs320. The chicken sellers have increased chicken meat prices by Rs80 per kilogram in three days from Rs240 to Rs320. Similarly, prices of vegetables including potato, cucumber, green chilli and fruits included dates, banana, guava, watermelon, apple etc. have also skyrocketed in past couple of days.