PESHAWAR – The demand of ice has increased in the local markets of Peshawar and other areas of Khyber Paktunkhwa amid immense heat and power outages, on which the ice sellers have raised the commodity prices in addition to creating its shortage.
Ice is a commodity used to cool the water, beverages and different drinks for Iftar to quench the 16 hours long thirst of the fastening individuals. Because of the power load shedding the domestic freezers and refrigerators failed to meet the house needs of a family.       
“To get ice from the market is became a challenge, one should to be wait in queue or try to use force to tackle the huge rush on the shop or outdoor sell points of ice vendors to get a piece of ice”. Ali Kamal a citizen said. I have a brand new refrigerator at home but how it could be useful in the 2-3 hours power availability and low power voltage, he added.
Fazal-e-Akber another citizen said that the ice became a luxury now; it only could use by the rich people.
As the hot days fastening increased its demand, on the other hand huge power cut make it supply short and prices raised, so now we can’t buy it. He moaned that the ice piece, which was earlier sold for Rs. 20 is now bought at three or four time high price.
Rehan khan working in an office here, said that regularly when I back from my duty at evening, I looked for the ice but I didn’t find even a single small piece of it, he pointed out it sold with high frequency. Now we use to the drinking stuff without ice he added.
Asad Khan a roadside vendor told that we got the limited blocks from the factory, it sold in moments. He argues we also benefited by the quick purchase because it melt in less time due to sever hot weather. He said that the power outage effect the quality of the ice blocks, it melt soon and having less weight than the earlier.
Another vendor in the city told The Nation that the prices is increased to the consumers because, the ice blocks which was purchased for Rs. 500-700 yet it price Rs. 1600 to 2000 or more to us.
He said this all is because of the load shedding.
Many of the vendors in the city said that we only purchase ice to our specific costumers, because of its limited amount.
They said we couldn’t deal with the harsh behaviour of the customers towards us or their heating and scuffles to each other for a tiny amount of ice. Many put down to sell the ice in Ramzan because of the consumer’s harsh attitude, one of the vendors told The Nation.      
Nasir Khan owner of an ice factory said, “we tries to meet the ice demand but the power outage is the main obstacle”. He said that I have contracted many people for the ice supply to them, but the low power availability produce lake of trust between me and the ice whole sellers. He accepted that ice structure quality disturbed, because the ice which was produced in the 24 hours now couldn’t produce in 72 hours even.
The citizens in the city burns with the hot weather, we are not finding any relief even in Ramzan.
The unavailability of the ice and hike in its prices really disappointed us. The people don’t know, to do how many protests for how much problems, it became countless the generals masses proclaimed.