ISLAMABAD: September 19, 2007: The soaring inflation of the essential commodities is alarming during the first ten days of the month of Ramadan, according to a survey of various markets conducted by the TheNetwork for Consumer Protection before and after the start of Ramadan.

The artificial shortage of flour in the local market is very critical as to the 23.5 million tonne bumper crop production of wheat against the consumption of 21 million tonne.

The price of onion in the retail market has surged from Rs15-20 to Rs25-30 per kilogram and potato from Rs15-20 to Rs30. The price of apple, grapes and pear has soared up from to Rs40 to Rs100, Rs50 to Rs120 and Rs150, and Rs20 to Rs60 and Rs80 respectively.

Executive Coordinator TheNetwork for Consumer Protection, Dr. Talib Lashari while talking to PTV News on Wednesday said that price control regulations are there but implementation mechanisms are lacking. Dr. Talib Lashari also said that dedicated and honest individuals should be appointed as the head of price control committees to responsibly keep a check and balance of the commodities’ prices sold in the markets.

Dr. Lashari also demanded the government to direct the Nazims of all the districts in the country to immediately start checking the prices of items of daily use in their respective districts and also hold them responsible in case of unusual inflation. Dr. Lashari was of the view that meetings of concerned organizations and government agencies should be held at federal and provincial level in which a consumer protection organizations and consumer groups should be invited to chalk out a strategy.