Skyrocketing prices in twin cities irk residents

Shopkeepers are fleecing and over-charging fearlessly

No one can deny the fact that as the time passes by, the prices of commodities in the whole world increase but in our country and especially in Islamabad people are mercilessly being fleeced horrendously.

Federal capital is the place where people of every class reside whether rich or poor but everyone who is in the selling industry like selling day to day items; shop-keeping is inhumanly minting money from the people by charging increased prices. Every class of the people is found victim of the high charging and are teased by such kinds of things. But the worse hit victims of this act are the middle class people and white collar workers.

Muhammad Saleem, 50 lives in ‘Baraf Khana Chowk’ Rawalpindi said, “I used to buy things 30 years back very cheaply as compared to the today’s market prices which are skyrocketing manifolds, decreasing the capacity of the people to buy things easily. I used to earn Rs 3000 per month with which I used to easily run the business of my home but today I am getting Rs 20000 but it can hardly just meet my household expenses. I think this is due to whimsical behaviour of the people who are enjoying themselves charging as they like without any check and balance system.”

In other provinces and cities, the prices are fairly affordable but the prices in the federal capital are three times higher than other cities owing to overcharging. The shopkeepers cheat people by telling and showing that they are selling quality products. Another secret reason revealed by INFN during talks to different shopkeepers is that people buy things which are costly because they think expensive things are of higher quality.

A shopkeeper, Muhammad Akram talking to INFN said that our things can’t be sold if they are not having high price so this way we charge extra money from people and they are satisfied with things.

Irfan Ali, a student of fashion designing said talking to INFN, “I myself buy cloths, jeans, shirts and shoes. Every shopkeeper demands different price for the same item and brand even in one market.”

The ‘higher prices’ mindset does not only prevail in the wearing industry like clothes but also in food industry like vegetables and fruits. If we compare the federal capital with the rest of provinces and cities there is a world of difference in the prices.

“The items which you will get in Rs 100 in any province or city but the same thing would cost thrice in the federal capital. This cruel trend and mindset of the shopkeepers and the businessmen who increase the rates of items themselves without the approval of the concerned authorities is deplorable and needs to be stopped immediately.” Muhammad Amin, a businessman said.

“See the prices of meat in the twin cities which have increased drastically and are still unchecked,” he added.

Kaleem Shehzad, a shopkeeper in Commercial Market said, “The prices of all commodities and products are not that much higher but we have to sell it while keeping their price high because we have to pay lots of money in the form of rent.”