Butchers of Capital threaten hike in mutton price
Butchers of Capital threaten hike in mutton price
By Atif KhanISLAMABAD: Butchers on Sunday threatened the administration that they would increase meat prices if one-dish law was not implemented strictly and immediately.Khurshid Ahmed Qureshi, All Pakistan Jamiat-ul-Quresh/Meat Welfare Association central president, told Daily Times that excessive use of meat, especially mutton, in functions like marriages and other parties, had increased its demand manifolds. He said due to this high demand, the suppliers were directly supplying all mutton to marriage halls, hotels and mega departmental stores, ignoring the butchers. He said the butchers were left with no option but to purchase animals at higher prices.He said one-dish law was not observed as two-three dishes of mutton and other animal products were served to the guests at normal functions. He admitted that mutton was being sold up to Rs 330 per kg against the official price of Rs 280 per kg in Islamabad and Rs 270 per kg in Rawalpindi. He said if the government failed to implement one-dish law at marriage functions to stop wastage of meat, the association would be forced to increase meat prices. Butchers playing tricks: Residents said it seemed that the city administration was backing butchers as they were openly overcharging but no action was being taken against them.“Butchers of the capital, who have been overcharging for long, have now increased mutton price to Rs 330 per kg on their own,” Majid Alvi, a shopper at Aabpara market, said. Others expressed astonishment that the butchers increased mutton prices after a drastic decrease in fuel prices. “The butchers had been used to increase meat prices after a slighter increase in fuel prices, shifting the blame to enhancing transportation fares. Now that diesel prices have been reduced twice in a month, the butchers have increased meat prices,” he said.“It seems that there is no law against inflation. If you can bribe administration, you can overcharge,” said a government employee. He said the authorities should give at least one good reason for the recent increase in mutton prices.No animal shortage at all: Akbar Ghallon, a supplier of livestock from southern Punjab, said there was no shortage of animals in the market and they were supplying butchers with animals on previous rates in plenty. Over the last few days, animal prices in southern Punjab market remained even lower than routine, he said. “Eid comes every year, what is so special this year. The number of animals slaughtered on this Eid was less than last year due to inflation,” he said.General shopkeepers said butchers associations had taken roots in Islamabad Administration by obliging the high-ups.Admin lacks staff: Islamabad Administration officials, requesting anonymity, admitted their failure in controlling the prices. They said shortage of staff and duties for VVIP protocols kept the workforce so busy that it could not concentrate on keeping the prices under control. They said magistrates and other officers remain in their offices, visiting the market only rarely. Islamabad Magistrate Farasat Ali Khan said overcharging butchers and hoarders would be dealt with strictly. He appealed to the residents to lodge their complain timely so that overcharging could be countered.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\12\22\story_22-12-2008_pg11_7
By Atif KhanISLAMABAD: Butchers on Sunday threatened the administration that they would increase meat prices if one-dish law was not implemented strictly and immediately.Khurshid Ahmed Qureshi, All Pakistan Jamiat-ul-Quresh/Meat Welfare Association central president, told Daily Times that excessive use of meat, especially mutton, in functions like marriages and other parties, had increased its demand manifolds. He said due to this high demand, the suppliers were directly supplying all mutton to marriage halls, hotels and mega departmental stores, ignoring the butchers. He said the butchers were left with no option but to purchase animals at higher prices.He said one-dish law was not observed as two-three dishes of mutton and other animal products were served to the guests at normal functions. He admitted that mutton was being sold up to Rs 330 per kg against the official price of Rs 280 per kg in Islamabad and Rs 270 per kg in Rawalpindi. He said if the government failed to implement one-dish law at marriage functions to stop wastage of meat, the association would be forced to increase meat prices. Butchers playing tricks: Residents said it seemed that the city administration was backing butchers as they were openly overcharging but no action was being taken against them.“Butchers of the capital, who have been overcharging for long, have now increased mutton price to Rs 330 per kg on their own,” Majid Alvi, a shopper at Aabpara market, said. Others expressed astonishment that the butchers increased mutton prices after a drastic decrease in fuel prices. “The butchers had been used to increase meat prices after a slighter increase in fuel prices, shifting the blame to enhancing transportation fares. Now that diesel prices have been reduced twice in a month, the butchers have increased meat prices,” he said.“It seems that there is no law against inflation. If you can bribe administration, you can overcharge,” said a government employee. He said the authorities should give at least one good reason for the recent increase in mutton prices.No animal shortage at all: Akbar Ghallon, a supplier of livestock from southern Punjab, said there was no shortage of animals in the market and they were supplying butchers with animals on previous rates in plenty. Over the last few days, animal prices in southern Punjab market remained even lower than routine, he said. “Eid comes every year, what is so special this year. The number of animals slaughtered on this Eid was less than last year due to inflation,” he said.General shopkeepers said butchers associations had taken roots in Islamabad Administration by obliging the high-ups.Admin lacks staff: Islamabad Administration officials, requesting anonymity, admitted their failure in controlling the prices. They said shortage of staff and duties for VVIP protocols kept the workforce so busy that it could not concentrate on keeping the prices under control. They said magistrates and other officers remain in their offices, visiting the market only rarely. Islamabad Magistrate Farasat Ali Khan said overcharging butchers and hoarders would be dealt with strictly. He appealed to the residents to lodge their complain timely so that overcharging could be countered.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\12\22\story_22-12-2008_pg11_7
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