LAHORE – The district administration in Lahore has come up with strange solution to the issue of rising prices of chicken meat as government rate list are being flouted openly.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Musa Raza used to share official rate list of vegetables, fruits, eggs, live chicken and chicken meat on official Facebook page.
In a recent development, a column which carried the official rate of chicken meat has been removed from the list as it is being sold at much higher prices than the listed one.
The last rate list available on the Facebook page showed the chicken meat price at Rs595 kilogramme but at that time it was sold for Rs750-780 in retail market.
Since the official rates are not available, the chicken meat price has soared to Rs780-820 per kg leaving the citizens helpless and shocked.
Reports said the shopkeepers are charging an extra amount of Rs200-Rs300 per kg as the meat is not available at official rates.
Chicken sellers said they used to receive two different lists—one for display purposes, which showed a lower price for chicken meat, and another one, sent via WhatsApp, which reflected the actual price at which the meat would be sold.
Citizens expressed great surprise and disappointment at this move, which they felt was an attempt to deceive the public.
Muhammad Yaseen, a leader of the Consumer Association, stated that the inflated prices of chicken meat were a result of nexus between the administration and the Department of Agriculture officials.
He claimed that the officials were not enforcing the official rates and demanded that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz should conduct an investigation into the matter.
