PM Khan orders price control campaign as inflation soars
Photo: AFP
Inflation is on the rise in Pakistan and has risen to 9.1% in the 10 months the PTI has been in power. When the party took over in August 2018, the inflation rate was at 5.8%.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken notice of soaring prices and ordered a crackdown. He wants action against people artificially inflating the prices of essential commodities.
He has ordered an emergency campaign to control prices. A task force has been formed to make sure retailers and wholesalers sell items at the government’s official prices.
Wholesale markets will be monitored by field officers, who will then report back in a week. All provincial secretaries have also been directed to conduct surprise raids. A price control committee will issue official price lists and ensure compliance. The police’s special branch will be ensuring implementation of these orders.
The chief secretaries and chief ministers of each province will have to report on the situation every day. PM Khan has also ordered that people selling unhygienic or expired food should not be spared.
In the first 10 months of the PTI government’s tenure, the prices of just about everything have gone up. From electricity, gas, petrol and diesel to basic items like food, everything has become more expensive. This news, coupled with the rupee losing its value against the dollar, has resulted in a heavier burden on the Pakistani people.
In August 2018, a 10kg sack of flour cost Rs386; it now costs Rs412. These price hikes have been seen in almost all edible items.
Beef that cost Rs439 per kg in August now costs Rs484 and the price of mutton has risen from Rs920 to Rs976 in the past 10 months. Even chicken has become more expensive, rising to Rs177 from Rs126.
A 1.5kg container of cooking oil now costs Rs535 instead of the Rs485 it cost 10 months ago. Ghee is also more expensive, with a 1.5kg container costing Rs505 and loose ghee costing Rs162.
Even lentils (daal) have gotten more expensive, with daal masoor risising to Rs134 from Rs129, daal moong to Rs161 from Rs129, daal mash to Rs168 from Rs156 and daal channa to Rs143 from Rs134.
A 1kg packet of sugar has become Rs12 more expensive and risen to Rs72. Tea has also become more expensive, with 200 grams costing Rs221. A 400g bag of powdered milk now costs Rs410 while it cost Rs390 10 months ago.
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Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/economy/2019/06/pm-khan-orders-price-control-campaign-as-inflation-soars/