LARKANA: The unprecedented inflation has broken the back of daily wagers, labourers and jobless people as sugar was sold here on Thursday at Rs140 per kg which was sold at Rs120 yesterday. The rates of cooking oil were also enhanced arbitrarily which was sold at Rs320 per a litre bag yesterday to Rs340 today.
Likewise, wheat flour was sold at Rs65 per kg yesterday but it was openly sold by retailing shopkeepers at Rs75 per kg. Mustard oil was sold yesterday at Rs240 per kg which was sold today at Rs350 per kg. Half kg tea was sold at Rs500 yesterday but it was sold today at Rs550. 270 gram washing soap was sold yesterday at Rs40 but its rates were enhanced to Rs60 today. Chickpeas rates were also increased as these were sold yesterday at Rs200 but today they were openly sold at Rs240 per kg.
Retailing shopkeepers, who don’t want to be named, said that 50 kg sugar bag was sold by the stockists / wholesalers at Rs5200 till yesterday but they raised the price today to Rs6900 per bag adding in this way they themselves are buying one kg sugar at Rs138 and selling it at Rs140 with two rupees profit on a kilogram which also include transportation and labour charges. They said likewise a 40 kg wheat flour bag was costing Rs2400 previously but today it was sold at Rs2800 per bag and they are selling it to the buyers at Rs75 because the bag does not contain 40 kgs and it always is a little bit over 39 kgs weight. Tomatoes were sold at Rs140 per kg.
They said that Commissioner Larkana Division, in his recent meeting with the Market Committee officials, had directed them that when the wheat is supplied by the Sindh government at subsidized rates then why flour is sold in the open market at exorbitant rates which must be investigated as to who is involved in black marketing. They said this needs to be implemented with iron hands of law or else poor poverty-ridden people will continue to suffer for voting those who don’t care for them anymore.
Ex-President, Larkana Chamber of Commerce and Industry LCCI, Abdul Ghaffar Shaikh, said while talking to this Scribe said that LCCI has already strongly condemned the historic hike in prices of essential commodities. He said people were shown beautiful dreams of Riyasat-e-Madina but now the prevailing conditions are that poverty-stricken people are committing suicides as they are unable to feed their hungry families.
He said yesterday a poor man, father of seven children, 45 years old Asghar Ali Chinjni, ended his precious life in Allahabad locality here by hanging himself in a ceiling fan because of unemployment and poverty as he was entirely unable to feed his starved family members. He said rates of kitchen items have sky-rocketed beyond the reach of a jobless person hence the prices should be brought down at previous level within the reach of a common man so that the poor could survive. He said the 30% prime minister package will never work but drastic actions are needed against hoarders, black marketers and stockists.
