The holy month of Ramadan is a month of blessings. Everyone is engaged in fulfilling their religious obligations and helping the poor and the needy by sadqa and zakat. The spirit of Ramadan especially stresses those that are needy and down-trodden and it has been taught to give as much charity as one can in this month. Unfortunately, people in our country especially the manufacturers and suppliers stock the basic food items and intend to create an artificial shortage, ultimately raising the prices of vegetable, fruits, pulses and meat etc.
This exerts an unbearable pressure on the middle and lower classes that can barely afford these items in the regular months. It has been reported that during the month of Ramadan, prices of goods and edibles have risen by almost 40 percent which is enough to extinguish the purchasing power of common man. It’s the responsibility of the government to ensure a strong check on prices and intervene where necessary to lower down the unnecessary hike in prices.
But our government does try to play its part as it spends billions to give subsidies on goods. The Punjab government has introduced a special Ramadan package to provide quality edibles at subsidised rates to the people. This initiative has proved to be beneficial for the people as fruits and vegetables would be available at 15 % less than the market price. Ramadan bazaars have also been set throughout the province providing edibles at cheap rates but this is not enough. Ramadan bazaars cannot be set up at very nook and cranny of the province and every citizen can’t afford to go to a Ramadan bazaar to buy low price goods.
The government should take steps to control profiteering, hoarding and action should be taken against those who try to raise the prices at the expense of the poor.
SYED MUHAMMAD ABUBAKER
Lahore
