New Delhi: Imagine milk being costlier than petrol!
As the Shia Muslims observed Muharram in Pakistan on Tuesday, they had to buy milk at an inflated price of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 140 even as petrol cost PKR 113 per litre.
In a crippled economy, Pakistan is plagued with high prices of essential commodities due to inflationary trends and devaluation of PKR vis-à-vis the US dollar. Price of a perishable vegetable like tomato is also hovering around PKR 200 per kg.
According to a report in Pakistani newspaper Express Tribun, these essential commodities were sold at exorbitant prices due to high demand and low availability of milk in parts of the port city of Karachi, the financial capital of Pakistan.
Light speed diesel sold at PKR 91 per litre, Pakbiz reported.
Although the government had fixed the official milk price at PKR 94 and retail price at PKR 110 per litre, it was sold for PKR 140 during Muharram when outlets were set up across the city to market milk, cold water and fruit juices.
Prices of milk skyrocketed due to artificial shortage created by hoarders.
Concerned at this profiteering, the Sindh Government has called a meeting of all stakeholders on September 13 to discuss price control.
