Essential commodities being sold at exorbitant prices at utility stores

ISLAMABAD: Essential commodities are being sold at exorbitant prices at utility stores in Islamabad as compared to market, ARY News reported.

According to documents available with ARY News, utility stores are charging an additional Rs 23.54 for a wheat flour bag of 20 Kilogram (Kg) than the markets’ rate.

A 20-Kg wheat flour bag is being sold at Rs 2840 at utility stores while the same bag can be bought from the markets at Rs 2816.46.

Meanwhile, Sella rice is being sold at Rs 370 per Kg at the utility stores while the same is available for Rs 316 per Kg in the markets. The utility stores are taking excessive Rs 54 per Kg than the markets’ price.

Similarly, sugar is also being sold for Rs 155 at the utility stores whereas the essential commodity could be bought at Rs 144.59 from the market.

Likewise, is per Kg white chana is Rs 13.74 expensive at utility stores than the markets. In the documents, the price of one Kg white chana at utlity sotres is Rs 405 while its price at the market is 391.26.

Earlier on January it was reported that the price controlling mechanism has failed to rein in the skyrocketing prices of consumer items in the retail market as the price of onion reached Rs320 per kg in federal capital of Pakistan.

According to data issued by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the price of the good quality onion has seen a surge in the domestic markets as retailers blame massive exports for the price spiral.

Onion is being sold at Rs320 per kg at the retail level in Islamabad. Meanwhile, the most sought-after commodity compared to other vegetables was available at Rs310 per kg in Rawalpindi, Rs280 in Peshawar and Rs270 in Sialkot.