Customers criticised the Islampura Ramadan Bazaar on Wednesday for high prices and rotten vegetables and fruits on sale in what was supposed to be a measure to provide relief to the people. According to the people, the commodities were cheap to an extent but the bazaars did not tell a different story than other markets of the city. The quality and price complaint cells established at the bazaars were ignorant of the sale of substandard fruit.
Some citizens also complained about the high prices. “The condition of apples and peaches is so bad that one can judge it from yards,” customer Muhammad Hanif said. There was already a limited variety of fruit available at the bazaars and poor standards were adding to the misery, another citizen said. Vendors said they had no choice but to sell such items as good quality fruit was expensive and they could not afford selling fruit at lower rates at the Ramadan Bazaars.
When the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) staff at the Shadman Ramadan Bazaar was told about the situation, they said action was only taken when rotten items were being sold. The shortage of chicken at the Ramadan Bazaars also continued unchecked on Wednesday, which coincided with the weekly holiday of beef and mutton. Meat buyers were seen returning empty handed.
A butcher who asked not to be named said the chicken shortage was because of the lower prices at the bazaars.
The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) had established separate sugar stalls for women at the Ramadan Bazaars but these stalls were mostly occupied by men. Women complained that they had to face immense difficulty in buying sugar, as the stall prescribed for them was dominated by men.
Mrs Bajwa, a customer, said she came to the bazaar to shop for Iftar but could not buy sugar despite standing in line for two hours. Another customer Mrs Farida lashed out at the complaint cell staff, as according to her they were of no use and did not take action on any complaints.
“I asked my son to bring some meat from the Shadman Ramadan Bazaar but he found nothing. I had to come to the Wahdat Colony Bazaar but meat is not available here either,” Mrs Shahida complained.
Customers also criticised the CDGL for not being able to manage things during Ramadan. They said the staff sitting in air-conditioned offices was all talk. “Had the Lahore commissioner or DCO shopped from these bazaars, they would have known our problems,” an angry customer said.
Lahore Commissioner Jawad Rafique, DCO Ahad Cheema and MPA Khawaja Salman Rafique visited Ramadan Bazaars in Badami Bagh, Shadbagh, Begum Kot, Garden Town, Delhi Gate, Kahna, Shalimar and Tajpura and fined several vendors for overcharging. The commissioner ordered the arrest of vendor Shafqat Ahmed and told police to register a case against him at the Yakki Gate Police Station.
The DCO encouraged vendors at the Kahna Ramadan Bazaar to sell commodities at “no profit, no loss” rates. He told officers to tighten the security arrangements and shift the parking stand from the bazaar. Cheema ordered officers to ensure the availability of flour and sugar at Ramadan Bazaars at all times.
