IT augurs well that Prime Minister Imran Khan was keeping his attention focused on the issue of price-hike, which is the priority concern for every Pakistani and this became evident from the deliberations and decisions of the meeting of the federal cabinet as well as a high level huddle in the capital on Tuesday to review the administrative measures to bring down prices of essential commodities. As the cabinet accorded approval for exemption of PPRA regulations for import of 300,000 ton wheat and 500,000 ton sugar, the Prime Minister directed the provincial governments of Punjab and KP to present an implementable plan, within 24 hours, for increasing number of farmer markets, allowing private sector to establish their own markets and rationalization of the regulatory regime with a shift towards compliance regime.
These and similar other measures being taken by the federal and provincial governments would, hopefully, help tackle the price situation in an effective manner provided implementation is done as quickly as desired by the Prime Minister. Previously, delay in the import of wheat and sugar was exploited by mafias in their favour and the decision to do away with PPRA requirements would clear the way for speedy imports of the commodities. However, it must be ensured that relaxation of these rules should not be manipulated to pocket personal gains as has been the practice in the country or a compromise on the quality of sugar and wheat to be imported. This is because in the past there have been complaints that substandard wheat and sugar were imported at higher rates and people showed hesitation to buy them as they were inferior to the locally produced commodities to which people were used to.
Similarly, it is a fact that the limited number of farmers markets in the major cities was one of the causes of exploitation of farmers, undue profits being made by the middlemen and resultant price hike that adversely affected the poor. It was in this backdrop that the concept of weekly bazaars was introduced in urban centres enabling farmers and producers to set up their own stalls there to sell their products directly to the consumers without involvement of the middle-man. However, with the passage of time, due to lack of vigilance and required checks on the part of the departments and authorities concerned, these became outlets for ordinary shopkeepers and wholesale dealers to clear their stocks at normal market rates. The idea of having more fruit and vegetable markets should be implemented on an urgent basis but, at the same time, it must be ensured that these are easily accessible to both the farmers and the general public.
The plan of the Government to install cameras at the premises of all sugar mills to ascertain the actual position of stocks is also laudable as it would help check hoarding or black-marketing, resultantly bring down prices and fetch more revenue for the national kitty. The plan has the potential to ease the situation but much depends on its actual operation as we have bitter experience with the cameras installed under safe city project as the records are manipulated by the officials concerned.
