CM keeps traders on their toes over official rates before turning to Sukkur Barrage
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah accompanied with cabinet member Nasir Shah and Mayor Murtaza Wahab, inspecting prices of cooked food, fruits, and daily-use items. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday carried out surprise inspections of key commercial areas in the metropolis to review prices of essential food items and ensure implementation of official rates during the holy month of Ramazan.
The visit started at Burns Road, where CM Shah, accompanied by cabinet member Nasir Shah and Mayor Murtaza Wahab, inspected prices of cooked food, fruits, and daily-use items. He checked rate lists displayed at shops and stalls, and interacted with both shopkeepers and customers.
“Prices of food items and fruits must strictly follow the officially notified rates,” he said, adding that overcharging during Ramazan was “absolutely intolerable.”
The chief minister purchased dahi baray at Rs600 per kilogram and expressed surprise at jalebi being sold for Rs1,200 per kilogram. The Karachi commissioner informed him that while most items have fixed prices, jalebi is not currently under a notified price category. Despite the shopkeeper’s reluctance, CM Shah insisted on paying the full amount.
He also engaged with traders and shoppers, posed for selfies, and stepped behind a shop counter to observe transactions firsthand. In a gesture of goodwill, he gave Rs5,000 to a person with disabilities to help purchase Iftar items for his family.
After Burns Road, the chief minister proceeded to Empress Market, where shopkeepers welcomed him warmly. He checked fruit rate lists and compared them with actual selling prices. CM Shah also inquired about apples and pomegranates, being sold at Rs265 and Rs300 per kilogram, respectively, and reviewed prices of vegetables including bottle gourd at Rs58/kg, eggplant at Rs52/kg, and carrots at Rs46/kg. During the visit, CM Shah inspected the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s Price Complaint Cell at Empress Market and reviewed the under-construction meat market.
‘Sukkur Barrage vital for water security’
CM Shah reviewed the third-year progress of the Sukkur Barrage Rehabilitation and Modernisation Project (SBIP), calling it crucial for the province’s water security and agricultural economy.
Secretary Khero informed CM Shah that third-year cofferdam works (phases II and III) had enabled extensive construction across the barrage’s three main zones, including piers and other structural components.
The chief minister praised the progress on gate replacement. Of the 27 gates planned in the current phase (gates 15 to 43), 25 have been completed, reflecting over 96% progress. Sandblasting and anti-corrosion painting of 19 gates have been finished, while removal of old hoisting systems and cutting of existing gates is also complete.
Restoration of left-bank canals is 100% complete except for the Nara Canal, where work is ongoing.
