Shaheer Ahmed
Pakistani citizens fed up with skyrocketing prices and tax dodging during Ramadan, have announced a four-day boycott of fruit vendors, beginning on March 27 and ending on March 31. Several people have taken to social media to express their displeasure with fruit vendors charging beyond the going rate. Several individuals are encouraging others to join the protest using the hashtag #BoycottFruits. Many Pakistanis back the campaign of BoycottFruits because they believe retailers charge them too much despite the government setting a fixed price list.
Prices of essential goods in Sialkot, Pakistan have skyrocketed in recent weeks, making it increasingly difficult for families to make ends meet. Let's hope for some relief soon @Dcsialkot1 #Sialkot #PriceHike #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/qxGAfpfsxN
— Muhammad_Nouman (@munda83) March 27, 2023
A single WhatsApp message was the trigger for the boycott. In an effort to get fruit vendors to cut their prices, protesters in Karachi city opted to go fruitless for three days. Hundreds of individuals on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter showed their support for the boycott by forwarding the message pushing others to stop buying fruits.
Time to take action against the unfair prices of fruit in Pakistan! By participating in the #boycottfruit movement, we can show shopkeepers that we demand fair prices for all. Let's work together to make a difference and support economic justice in Pakistan. #Pakistan #pricehike pic.twitter.com/CXuEJH1KZ7
— Hujatullah Kasi (@hujathullah) March 26, 2023
We are paying three times as much for fruits as they are worth. Especially during Ramadan, when families are already struggling to make ends meet owing to inflation, this is not fair, remarked Aliya Ahmed, a resident of Islamabad.
Bananas were going for Rs400 per dozen in Islamabad, while guavas were going for Rs400 a kilogram. Apples were being offered for Rs450 per kilogram while papayas were priced at a staggering price of Rs200. The most common fruits used in fruit chat (Pakistani fruit salad sprinkled with spices) are apples, bananas, guavas, and oranges.
#Pricehike pic.twitter.com/BUWjBET0Bq
— Fouzia Ali (@fouziazaib) March 24, 2023
Several locals, however, argued that until the government took action against the dealers, commission agents, and wholesalers who raise prices, the boycottfruits campaign would not be effective in the long run. Shopkeeper Bilal Khalid in Karachi agreed that a week-long boycott would have more of an impact. Every year during Ramadan, fruit prices in Pakistan skyrocket.
https://twitter.com/Fallen_x_King/status/1639952583426023424?s=20
Individuals have resolved to abstain from eating fruits during this year in order to send a message to the leaders.
Boycott fruits for the whole month of Ramadan.
It's time to teach them all a lesson.#zafarsaysboycottfruits https://t.co/vtncUnSqND
— Haris (@haris_khan63) March 24, 2023
JDC Zafar Abbas has called everyone to boycott fruits for 4 days to put an end to this fruit mafia and the profiteering. #ShaneRamzan2023 #بائیکاٹ_فروٹ pic.twitter.com/hcLGSE3tII
— Fizza Ali (@Fizza_05) March 27, 2023
Ahsan Khan (an actor and TV personality), Danial Afzal Khan (another actor), Sarfaraz Ahmed (a cricketer), and Waseem Badami (a journalist) all called on their fans to stop buying fruit until the government’s fixed pricing list was put into effect. Many of them have spoken out against the “profiteering activities of vendors” and show support for the average people who are finding it hard to make ends meet during Ramadan.
