Ramazan, the month of Allah's abounding blessings, has begun in Pakistan with a difference. This is the first time in decades that all regions of the country are observing fast the same day leaving the past behind when some parts of Pakhtunkhwa and tribal agencies started the month a day ahead of rest of Pakistan. This gesture must be hailed in the signal of unity of action that is increasingly becoming rare. But the other aspect of the month is that pious traders did not break from the past and, keeping the tradition of the past, have caused another wave of cost of life to escalate by hiking the prices of all commodities, fruit and vegetables, poultry, mutton and beef. Pakistan is the only country where prices of essential commodities rise on auspicious times while the trading community in the rest of the world decrease them for the people to get relief in celebrating religious festivities. Pakistan's trader offers six prayers a day, offers Haj every year, contributes to philanthropy and, yet, bribes tax officials to evade taxes, opts to smuggling in a big way and keeps dubious account registers to add to his ill-gotten wealth. The federal government announced a Rs2.5 billion "Ramazan Package" to provide essential commodities to the people and the prices fixed offering substantial relief to the common people. Sindh and Punjab governments also followed the suit. Punjab government also fixed some of the prices; for example mutton at Rs300 a KG and beef and chicken at Rs200 a KG. These commodities are selling at this price only in Lahore while the people are facing the brunt of these prices going up exorbitantly. In Rawalpindi, for instance, beef is selling at Rs300 and mutton at Rs600. Why the provincial government has confined its writ to Lahore alone and why it is not being extended to other cities. Price control is a provincial obligation and district administration is responsible to keep prices at a reasonable level. But it appears as if district bosses have abdicated their duty and left the common people at the mercy of axe wielding trading community to butcher the people the way it wants, with no fear either from the administration or Allah. This repressive community has already caused exorbitant hike in the prices and all essential commodities. Fruit and vegetables, which sold cheaper than the previous year because of abundance, sky-rocketed three days ahead of Ramazan and the hapless faithful are ill affording these items that are usually consumed at Iftar time. Will any institution, big or small, ever work for the good of the people is a question every citizen is asking the provincial governments which, in a way, are flouting the Constitution by not ensuring fundamental rights.