KARACHI, April 11 (APP):Karachiites are increasingly noticed to be visiting outlets run by Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation in the port city as essential food items including wheat, flour, sugar, ghee/edible oil, pulses, rice are available at much subsidized rates compared to what is expected to be paid in the general stores and super markets.
“Yes this is indeed a major relief for thousands of those who do not consider themselves eligible for free ration packs but have limited purchasing power and financial constraints,” said Asim Zaidi working as an accountant in a private company.
People talking to APP appreciative of the sensitivity reflected by Prime Minister Imran Khan for announcing a series of relief measures for public, pertaining to different socio-economic strata, in these trying times also made special mention of the fact that quality of products presently available at the utility stores have also improved.
“I usually avoided doing my grocery from these stores as had bitter experience of purchasing goods not as good as what I may had bought from regular shops and stores,” mentioned Swaleha Khatoon a housewife standing in a queue and waiting for her chance to get into the federal government operated facility.
Adding that since there was an artificially created shortage of “atta” (wheat flour) in the market and the exorbitant rates were beyond her means she had no option but to purchase them from the utility store, located in her neighborhood and it was only after braving huge rush she could manage to buy one some ten to 15 days ago.
Pleasantly surprised to find this to be as good as that she had been using in normal days the lady but complained about short availability of flour bags and that citizens have to repeatedly visit the store before finally getting hold of the same in accordance to their family needs.
Akbar Ali, Manager of one of these USC run stores in the megapolis clarified that the stock, along with that of sugar, pulses, rice tea are replenished on daily basis, seven days a week, it is just that demand has increased and those coming early manage to purchase without any difficulty.
“The problem had been communicated to our higher ups and the stock has been increased in accordance to demand at each of our 140 outlets that did ease the pressure,” said the man in his 50s who, however, did suggest need for a mechanism under which hoarding on part of general public could be prevented.
Mohammad Hassan, cashier cum manager at one of the small sized stores, located next to Sindh Secretariat supplementing his colleague working at an outlet far away from his own, said I do witness same people coming almost daily to my store and purchasing bags of flour, sugar and pulses.
“I cannot stop them as they are paying for it,” said the man who was fully conscious of the plight of those who could make small purchases at a time and nothing in bulk.
When reminded that the federal government has decided to soon introduce a system under which ration cards would be issued to the customers visiting the USC stores, he sounded confident that things that could be improved under the existent and unusual circumstances and that if strictly implemented may turn into a routine in normal days.
Many of the citizens also suggested concerted efforts on part of USC authorities to improve management of their facilities and shun the impression largely prevalent about quality of food items in particular and other goods in general.
APP/rhd/Qurat
