April 16, 2024
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif along with Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday paid surprise visits to some nanbais (roti vendors) to make sure consumers were not being "overcharged".
Sharif candidly chatted with nanbais to ascertain the current price of tandoor-baked flatbread, while the Chief Minister examined the official price list.
The public cheered the former prime minister and CM Punjab for personally investigating the roti price.
They also encouraged the public to provide real-time feedback, report any overcharging, and refuse to overpay.
Sharif emphasised the importance of personally going out to assess the bread prices and urged flatbread sellers not to raise the price beyond the one allowed.
During the interaction, the Punjab chief minister informed the public that the price of bread had been fixed at Rs16, with the price of nan set at Rs20.
Maryam said that notifications had been issued not to charge more than Rs16 for bread, urging people to report any overcharging and other violations.
The chief minister then had a tandoor worker bake bread for her to check its weight and quality, making sure consumers were not being swindled.
Following the inspection, Nawaz and Maryam ordered the vendors and authorities to post the price notifications on walls for public awareness.
As part of her efforts to provide relief to inflation-hit people, the CM Punjab on Sunday reduced the price of roti to Rs16 across the province.
CM Maryam had announced last month that all necessary measures would be taken to provide relief to people in the province.
Taking to her official X handle, formally known as Twitter, Maryam wrote: “Alhamdulillah! The Punjab government has reduced the prices of roti and fixed it at Rs16.”
Though, citizens hailed the provincial government’s decision slashing the price of roti from Rs20 to Rs16, nanbai associations across the province however “unanimously” rejected the government’s decision.
They are of the view that they are ready to sell roti at the government rate if they are provided a subsidy.