Price hike intensifies ahead of Eidul Azha
Stalls are bereft of customers following calls on social media for a strike against fruit vendors to protest against the price hike. PHOTO: ZAFAR ASLAM/Express
With the failure of the price control and market committees, inflation in Rawalpindi continues to soar, further aggravated by the upcoming Eidul Azha.
The prices of essential food and household items have seen sharp increases. Flour is being sold at Rs170 per kg, sugar at Rs185 per kg, and cooking oil and ghee at Rs510520 per packet.
Pulses have also surged, with black gram at Rs600 per kg and split chickpeas at Rs360.
White chickpeas are priced at Rs400 per kg.
In the meat and poultry category, live chicken is selling for Rs425 per kg, chicken meat at Rs625, mutton at Rs2,400, beef at Rs1,400, eggs at Rs250 per dozen, milk at Rs220 per litre, and yogurt at Rs240 per kg.
Vegetables and fruits are also becoming increasingly unaffordable. Potatoes are priced at Rs80 per kg, onions at Rs90, tomatoes at Rs100, and peas at Rs200.
Despite the rising cost of living, local authorities have yet to take effective action to bring prices under control.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Seasonal butchers on streets with knives, cleavers
Citizens across the city are finding it difficult to get professional butchers to perform the Sunnah of Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). Professional butchers have increased their rates by 30 to 50 per cent this year. Babu Qureshi, a professional butcher from Liaquatabad, explained that the rates for slaughtering animals vary depending on the area and the weight or size of the animal. He noted that professional butchers typically stop taking bookings three days before Eidul Azha. This year, the minimum charge for slaughtering a large, lighter-weight animal on the first day of Eid ranges from Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 and above. On the second day, the rate drops to around Rs18,000, and on the third day, it decreases further to approximately Rs15,000. Rates for heavier animals with excess weight are negotiated before the slaughtering. Professional butchers have taken bookings for multiple animals at the neighbourhood level instead of single animals. Last year, professional butchers charged Rs15,000 to Rs25,000 or more for slaughtering a large animal. This year, the rates for goats and sheep range from Rs8,000 to Rs15,000. On the second and third days, the rates for small animals decrease by 30 to 50 per cent. Qureshi added that professional butchers have prioritised bookings in upscale neighbourhoods where compensation is generally higher. In contrast, many middle- and lower-income areas are turning to seasonal butchers due to the limited availability of skilled professionals. Seasonal butchers-who work on a daily wage basis and take up butchery only during Eid-have stepped in to fill the gap. They offer their services at 30 to 50 per cent lower rates than the professional butchers. These seasonal butchers often work in groups and are more in demand in middle-class areas, where they get better wages. Rush for sharpening People are seen purchasing new tools and getting the old ones sharpened for the preparation of meat after the slaughter. As a result, shops sharpening knives and cleavers are overloaded with huge footfall of citizens. At Al-Karam Square, Mohsin Ali, the owner of a shop that sells and sharpens such tools, said that a wide variety of knives, cleavers (Bugdah) and skewers are in great demand. The prices of new tools for household use have increased by Rs100 to Rs400. Different types of knives are sold for Rs400 to Rs2,500 or more, while the price of a Bugdah ranges from Rs800 to Rs3,000. Most people opt to sharpen their old tools, with sharpening services costing Rs150 to Rs200 per tool. Some individuals purchase tools worth up to Rs3,000 for preparing sacrificial meat. Slaughtering accessories fly off shelves Exponential quantities of date palm mats and baskets were sold for Eidul Azha sacrifice purposes, with vendors reporting brisk sales in the days leading up to the festival. Amir Uddin, a vendor selling mats, baskets, and wooden chopping blocks at Gharibabad, explained that date palm mats are typically used to spread sacrificial meat, while baskets are used for distributing it. This year, on Eid, mats of different sizes were sold for Rs500 to Rs1,000, and baskets were sold for Rs200 to Rs400. Meanwhile, chopping blocks were sold at Rs100 per kilogram, with the smallest ones selling for Rs500 to Rs800. These items are made of wood and are essential for meat distribution and storage. People who perform the Sunnah of sacrifice purchase these items to facilitate the distribution of meat among family, friends, and the needy. Temporary stalls were set up across various city areas to sell these products, providing temporary employment and additional income for many people, including street vendors and artisans who craft these traditional items.
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Nurses under probe for seeking Eid bonus
Following the decision to grant an additional basic salary to Capital Development Authority employees from Grade 1 to 16 on the occasion of Eidul Azha, the CDA Chairman has also approved a similar honorarium of one basic salary for all Muslim officers in Grade 17 and above. The decision will apply to contract and daily-wage employees as well, and an official notification has been issued in this regard. Furthermore, CDA Board members, who are on deputation appointments, will also be beneficiary of additional basic salary. Sources reveal that the additional salary payments for all CDA employees and officers on Eidul Azha will cost the authority approximately Rs365.5 million, with Rs235m allocated for employees in Grade 1-16 and Rs30m for officers in Grade 17 and above. It is reported that CDA has become especially lucrative for officers deputed from various departments, particularly board members. More notably, officers deputed to CDA are also allotted plots in Islamabad's D-Block sector after six months of service, despite CDA employees only being eligible for a plot after completing at least 10 years of service. Sources highlight that different eligibility standards exist for permanent CDA employees and those on deputation. This disparity makes CDA postings highly desirable among senior officers from other departments. A senior officer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) shared an interesting office order, revealing that more than six nurses from Capital Hospital, serving in BS-17 to 19, visited the office of the Member Finance at CDA Headquarters two days ago. The nurses requested that, like employees from BS-1 to 15, they also be granted an additional basic salary as an Eid honorarium. However, instead of their request being considered, the nurses were accused of violating departmental discipline, and a formal departmental inquiry was ordered against them. This action was taken despite the fact that, prior to the issuance of the inquiry order, the CDA had already officially approved the honorarium for all officers in Grade 17 and above. Given this approval, even if the disciplinary action had any basis initially, the acceptance of the nurses' request rendered the inquiry unjustifiable and moot. The CDA Chairman could not be reached for his version despite repeated attempts.
Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Eidul Azha sees artificial price hike in Karachi as tomatoes, essentials soar
Market analysts caution that IMF-related measures in the upcoming FY2026 budget—particularly new taxes and adjustments in energy prices—may lead to a renewed spike in inflation. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article The customary artificial surge in prices of vegetables and condiments ahead of Eidul Azha continues unabated this year, with rates of essential kitchen items increasing by up to 200 per cent in Karachi markets, Express News reported. According to a report, the price of tomatoes has jumped from Rs60 per kilogram to as high as Rs160 per kilogram, marking an increase of over 160 per cent within a week. The cost of garlic, which was retailing at Rs500 per kg, has surged to Rs700 per kg, while ginger now sells at Rs800 per kg, up from Rs600. Fresh coriander, typically priced at Rs20 per bunch, is now being sold at Rs40, and green chillies have risen from Rs380 to Rs450 per kg. In Karachi, the price of lemons has surged from Rs250 to between Rs350 and Rs400 per kilogram. Raw papaya, commonly used to tenderise meat during Eid preparations, is now retailing for up to Rs200 per kilogram. Despite repeated complaints, there appears to be little regulatory oversight to curb these arbitrary price hikes as citizens have called on the city administration to intervene and enforce official price lists, warning that such unchecked inflation burdens lower-income households during the festive period.
