With the closure of fiscal year 2010-11 nearing, the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) is seeking renewal of permission for establishing weekly Bachat Bazaars in different parts of the metropolis in a bid to ensure provision of kitchen items to the masses at cheaper rates, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Sources said that the CDGK gives permission to the organisers of the Bachat Bazaars on yearly basis, and as the current fiscal year is nearing closure, the renewal of the permission would be only for the fiscal year 2011-12. They said that Enterprise and Investment Promotion (E&IP) Executive District Officer Dr Saifur Rehman has directed all the organisers of weekly Bachat Bazaars in the city to submit all relevant documents for renewal/permission for holding Bachat Bazaars in the fiscal year 2011-12.
The current permits for Bachat Bazaars would stand cancelled in case of failure in submitting the documents – including original permission, bank receipt, and internal and external maps of the location – to the E&IP office within a period of 10 days, they added.
Sources said that the concept of setting up Bachat Bazaars had been introduced in 1985, and eight such bazaars were initially introduced on Friday (then a weekly holiday) – hence, the name ‘Jumma Bazaars’.
They said that the basic idea behind the bazaars was to end the role of middlemen so that producers and growers could directly supply their goods to consumers on cheaper rates.
When buyers thronged these bazaars, the profiteer mafia jumped in on all the action and weekly bazaars started mushrooming, they added. Sources said that there are over 140 weekly bazaars presently all across Karachi, and that they are held not only on holidays, but on working days as well.
