Citizens urges strict action against profiteers, hoarders ahead of Ramazan.

ISLAMABAD -- As the holy month of Ramazan approaches, citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are calling on the administration to crack down on profiteers and hoarders who have hiked up the prices of essential items twofold.

A market survey conducted by reporter found that prices of staples, kitchen items, fruits, and vegetables have all increased significantly just a week before the start of Ramazan.

While some shopkeepers claim that market players are responsible for the price hike, citizens believe that leniency on the part of price control committees is the main reason behind the soaring prices. Many residents have also reported that shopkeepers and fruit vendors are not complying with the rate list issued by the district administration.

As a result, citizens are calling for strict action against violators of the rate list, especially during Ramazan, so that profiteers and hoarders cannot exploit the common people. Some fruit and vegetable vendors have also been accused of hoarding produce in cold stores and then selling them at excessive rates just before the start of Ramazan.

To address these concerns, the district administration of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has announced plans to establish 12 Ramazan bazaars for an uninterrupted supply of essential items and edibles at reasonable prices. However, citizens have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of items sold at these bazaars.

'The stall owners at these bazaars sell low-quality items and the administration often turn a blind eye to this problem,' Zaheer Abbasi, a...