The sugar crisis in Pakistan’s Punjab, including Rawalpindi, has worsened due to a standoff involving sugar mills, government officials, wholesale dealers, brokers, and retail merchants, reported The Express Tribune.
In response, the Retail Merchants Association has suspended all sugar purchases and instructed retailers to sell their existing stock and halt further sales. Retailers holding excess sugar have been told to distribute it to smaller shopkeepers to clear out inventory.
As per the media report, the association has warned of a possible severe sugar shortage in the coming week, with prices expected to climb as high as Rs220 per kg.
Association representatives Sheikh Rizwan Shaukat and Saleem Pervaiz Butt asserted that they would not succumb to pressure or coercion, emphasizing that their self-respect outweighs financial gain. They accused sugar mill owners of being shielded by political influence, making them untouchable. Retailers claim they cannot sell sugar purchased at Rs 176-180 per kg for Rs 173 per kg, as enforced by price controls.
