‘No sugar’ banners displayed outside shops

The Supreme Court, however, held its own, arguing that market or no market, it was the constitutional duty of the government to make essential commodities available at reasonably priced to the masses. In order to set a ceiling for the sugar price, the court asked the Competition Commission of Pakistan to calculate the cost of production for sugar in the country.
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The first responsibility of any democratically elected government is towards the electorate. If so-called global market forces, which in the case of sugar and other commodities are incidentally heavily influenced by powerful speculators, force the international price of an essential commodity to rise beyond the reach of a country’s population, the government must step in.

According to a survey conducted sugar was not available at any wholesale shop in the City including special provisional markets and utility stores as people were seen running from shop to shop to get sugar packets. The consumers have been left with no other option but to stop the use of sugar due to non-availability of the commodity in the open market.
The shopkeepers and retailers have displayed banners outside shops ‘Sugar is not available. Sorry for inconvenience.’

Customers could not get sugar from any area in the city and in a state of helplessness buying ‘Shakar’ (raw sugar) for Rs120 per kilogram. Several shopkeepers also refused to sell ‘Shakar’. Prices of all items related to sugar including sweets, bakery products and toffees have been increased. The city administration failed to check shopkeepers who have hoarded the commodity and now are selling at far higher rates. Price magistrates could not find out the commodity from godowns where shopkeepers and dealers had stocked the commodity.

Provincial Information Minister Shazia Marri has reiterated that sugar crisis would be controlled within few days and sugar would be provided to the masses at Rs. 40 per Kg. Talking to media, she informed that Sindh provincial Government has abundance of sugar, but main issue was the speedy provision of this sugar in the markets, as provincial Government was committed to ensure fair distribution of the sugar.