ISLAMABAD: Prices of edible items, especially farm products, have gone up in the twin cities due to shortage in supply amid strict security measures being taken by Punjab police.

Police had started erecting road blocks from August 9 in a bid to prevent workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) from joining their Martyrs’ Day event in Lahore on August 10.

Before the suppliers could recover, more road blocks emerged as the authorities started focusing on curbing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and PAT long marches, scheduled for August 14.“We are beginning to face food shortage and now I do not know what will happen,” said Hammad Raza, a resident of Shahzad Town, situated in the outskirts of Islamabad.

“There was no green vegetable in the last Sunday Bazaar; only potatoes, onions and tomatoes were available,” he said. “And now since the Park Road coming from Rawal Chowk, too, has been closed, there are no vegetables even in the retail shops.”

Apprehensions of further shortages have increased the prices of essential kitchen items. Even the prices of chicken eggs have jumped to Rs105 per dozen in some localities of the twin cities, whereas the retail prices of common seasonal vegetables are also on the rise.

Gourds are hovering around Rs60 per kg, while zucchinis have gone up to Rs80 per kg. Tomatoes are in the range of Rs80-100 per kg, while potatoes are around Rs100 per kg.

“This is because of limited supplies at the wholesale market,” said Mohammad Khan, a vegetable seller in Rawalpindi. “There was nothing in the Sunday Bazaar.”

“Currently, the only source of vegetables for the twin cities and AJK is Hazara Division. If anything happens on this route, there will be almost no supply of farm produce in Rawalpindi and Islamabad,” said Rizwan Farooq, a trader at I-11 fruits and vegetable wholesale market.

“The fruits coming from Balochistan are not reaching the upper part of the country as National Highway has been partially blocked near Mianwali,” said Agha Siraj, President I-11 Fruits Mandi Association.

He added that the supply has been reduced to almost half.

Mr Farooq said apart from the road blocks, the transporters were reluctant to bring their heavy vehicles on the roads due to fear of police impounding them.

“But the fear is mostly related to conditions of the roads in the coming days,” Mr Siraj added.

Published in Dawn, Aug 14th, 2014