PML-N's local leaders minting money from Shahbaz Sharif Sasta Bazaar

Lahore, Dec. 18 (ANI): Shahbaz Sharif Sasta Bazaar was set-up to provide relief to the poor of Lahore, has ended up being a ploy of minting money for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)'s local leadership and the shopkeepers.

Shahbaz Sharif Sasta Bazaar is selling substandard items at higher rates than other markets.

Consumers are blaming shopkeepers of this market for selling used and second grade clothes on the pretext of new and branded clothes. They also complained that the rates of other commodities were also around 20 percent higher than other markets, The Daily Times reported.

A dress shirt of sub-standard quality is available between Rs 250 and 350 at other markets, but at the market it is sold between Rs 350 and 450. A second hand jersey is available between Rs 100-250 at other markets, and Rs 200-450 at the bazaar.

The City District Government Lahore had obliged PML-N Sports Wing General Secretary Tauseef Ahmed Qureshi to establish this bazaar a few days before Eid.

Qureshi charges Rs 2,000 per day as rent from each shopkeeper and Rs 40 to Rs 100 per energy saver as electricity charges. He charges Rs 5,000 per month for every shutter from them.

He has also established an independent parking for the bazaar, where cars and motorcycles are charged Rs 10 and Rs 5, respectively.

Qureshi defended all the allegations by saying that market is constantly jam-packed with consumers which proves that market is not over-charging. However, he has accepted the idea of setting the bazaar had not only boosted his political career, but also generated large sums of money for him.

The shopkeepers accepted that fake brands are rampantly sold in the market. But there are rarely any customers who could distinguish between the original and fake brands.

The shop-owners are expressing inability to cut the cost of the as they had to pay a huge amount to the bazaar administration. (ANI)