ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Retailers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have raised prices of confectionery items and other daily-use commodities following the recent surge in petrol price, even though many shops are still selling stock purchased at earlier rates.
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Consumers said shopkeepers immediately increased prices of commonly used items such as biscuits, noodles, toothpaste, clothes and locally produced chocolates after the government raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per litre on Saturday night.
“When we went to buy basic items from a shop, we came to know that prices of every item had been increased by Rs10,” said Wafa Abbas, a resident of Margalla Town in Islamabad.
Consumers complained that retailers had applied revised prices despite selling products bought before the fuel price hike. However, traders argued that higher transportation and distribution costs had forced them to adjust retail prices.
“We have to face inventory loss when prices are decreased, therefore the balance has to be maintained,” said Ghulam Ullah, a shopkeeper in Aabpara Market. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Rawalpindi Karyana Association, Saleem Pervaiz Butt, said the price of pulses had risen by Rs15 to Rs20 per kilogram after wholesale dealers and transporters increased their rates.
The dairy sector has also warned of possible price increases. Dr Shehzad Amin, chief executive officer of the Pakistan Dairy Association, said the industry was highly dependent on logistics, with milk collected daily from farms and transported to processing plants before distribution across the country.
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He noted that rising fuel costs, coupled with Pakistan’s 18 per cent sales tax on milk, could put additional pressure on the retail prices of dairy products such as UHT milk, yogurt and other processed items.
Transport fares have also gone up following the fuel price hike. Local buses and wagons increased fares by Rs30 per passenger, while long-route transporters raised fares by Rs100 to Rs150. The Regional Transport Authority said action would be taken against operators charging more than the government-approved 15 per cent fare increase.