Rawalpindi Faces Rising Prices: Essential Goods Become Costly
Rawalpindi, a city in Pakistan, is experiencing a significant increase in the prices of essential goods, causing difficulties for families trying to manage their budgets. Despite government promises to keep prices stable, the cost of basic items like pulses, cooking oil, flour, and vegetables has risen sharply.
Price Increases on Everyday Items
Black gram now costs PKR 600 per kilogram, and split chickpeas are priced at PKR 400 per kilogram. Cooking oil has reached PKR 520 per litre, and a carton of ghee has increased by PKR 1500. Even soft drinks are now PKR 10 more expensive than before.
Impact on Other Goods
Spices have seen a 50% price increase. Chicken is being sold at PKR 650 per kilogram, and eggs are priced at PKR 330 per dozen. Dairy products like milk and yoghurt have also become more expensive, costing PKR 220 per litre and PKR 240 per kilogram, respectively.
Community Response
Local associations, including the Central Grocery Merchants Association and others, met with the Deputy Commissioner to discuss the issue. However, no official price list was released, leading to frustration among residents and merchants. Salim Parvez Butt, a leader of the Grocery Merchants Association, expressed anger over the lack of action and warned of a possible boycott if prices are set below wholesale rates.
The ongoing inflation is causing uncertainty and dissatisfaction among the people of Rawalpindi, as they struggle with rising costs and insufficient government measures.
Doubts Revealed
Rawalpindi -: Rawalpindi is a city in Pakistan, which is a country that shares a border with India. It is known for its historical significance and is close to the capital city, Islamabad.
Inflation -: Inflation is when the prices of things we buy, like food and clothes, go up. This means people have to spend more money to buy the same things they used to buy for less.
PKR -: PKR stands for Pakistani Rupee, which is the money used in Pakistan, similar to how we use Indian Rupees (INR) in India.
Black gram -: Black gram is a type of lentil, also known as urad dal in India. It is commonly used in Indian cooking to make dishes like dal and idli.
Boycott -: A boycott is when people decide not to buy or use something to show they are unhappy about something. It’s like a protest to make a change happen.
Wholesale rates -: Wholesale rates are the prices at which goods are sold in large quantities, usually to shops or businesses, before they are sold to customers at higher prices.
