ISLAMABAD: Non functioning of the government departments during the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) rule, the profiteering and fleecing of the public at large is literally at its peak. Right from edibles to vehicles, construction items including cement and steel, medicines name any thing, The rates of every one of them is surging at unbelievable pace. The medicines manufacturers took the lead in PTI regime and raised the rates of lifesaving drugs up to 500 %. As a result of repeated increases in the essential drug prices, it has almost become impossible for the lower middle class and perhaps middle class to by medicines for ailing family members. The life saving drugs should have been the last priority of the government for upward revision in rates, but unfortunately a mafia fully promoted and protected by an influential politician close to the prime minister made it the first priority to provide a golden opportunity to the pharma sector to make huge money through enhanced drug prices The way the federal cabinet of prime minister, Imran Khan, granted jacking- up the drug prices in the last three and half years is not only unprecedented, but shameful. A PTI top office bearer allegedly facilitated drug mafia to get undue increase in drug prices by securing 14 times approval for it from the federal cabinet. Can one believe that a government claimant of ‘Tabdeli’ could link the increase in drug prices with consumer products index (CPI) formula. In civilized societies, CPI counts for items of daily use. But PTI government introduced CPI formula for jacking up of drug prices. Its no phama industry which used its influence in PTI government and allegedly hired facilitators who are on right and left of the prime minister , rather other sectors like auto mobile, cement and steel manufacturers name any mafia it is there to make money as much as they want. The auto sector is raising the rates of the cars , motor bikes and other their products on almost daily basis and there is no department in the government to check as to what factors are being counted by the cars assemblers to increase the prices of the cars, motorbikes. Seeing this trend that its free for all to make money through jacking up the prices of their products, cement and steel manufacturers are also raising prices of their products at will. The cement and steel prices have gone all time high in Pakistan’s history in recent times. A cement bag which was ranging between Rs 580 to Rs 600 per bag in December 2021 has gone up to Rs 860 in March and up ward trend in tis rate seems to continue in coming weeks and month . Likewise, steel prices have gone up to Rs 200,000 plus a ton in the market and like cement its prices are not showing any relief for those who are in the construction sector.
NEWSMAN referred a few items and their products to prove its case that every sector in Pakistan in PTI regime is free to make money at will as non of the government departments is taking any action for check and balance. Rather, prime minister Imran Khan, is encouraging the industrialists to make money. When a prime minister says in the public rally that he was not in the power to check tomato and potato prices what does it mean. It simply means that the government will not intervene if the rates of essential items go up and profiteers make money. There are 101 arguments with the profiteers to justify time and again increase in the rates of their products. For example they quote depreciation of Pak Rupee, surge in taxes and increase in freight basic reasons for none stop increase in the prices of their products. But one question which boggles a common man’s mind is why the government departments like CCP, SECP and others are functioning for a check and balance to see what was actual impact of those factors which were beyond control and if the manufacturers were adding proportionate increase in the rates of their products.
