In 1996, when I moved to Lahore, I enjoyed walks through Jumma (Friday) Bazaar. Friday was a weekend in Pakistan, and the Bazaar I am referring to is an open market place about 4 to 5 ha in extent. In comparison to the Village Markets I have seen in Sri Lanka, this is possibly about 20 times bigger. Everything was available, there was a concept aisles, just the way modern super markets were arranged, everything had a row to walk through and buy. Vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, spices, make-up kits and textiles, all available at a low prices.
As I walked through the fruits aisle, I saw very good looking citrus fruits called Kinos. These are like large size mandarins, very sweet and very few seeds. I saw a pile with a sign board planted in the middle, something was written in Urdu, then 8/=. I assumed the price of a fruit is 8 PRs, or about 20 US cents at that time. Very acceptable to me, I gave 10 Rs, wanted the vendor to keep the 2 Rs and started to walk. I peeled and ate the mandarin and enjoyed the walk -reminiscing on walks through orange orchards in Griffith, Australia. Then I heard someone calling me in loud voice, clapping his hand vigorously. It was the vendor, he wanted me to get back, and once I reached him he gave me a bag of another 11 fruits, and the balance of 2 Rs. Yes, a dozen was 8 Rs. I smiled at my ignorance, returned home, and enjoyed remaining fruits later.
Last week I was in Lahore, I was hungry, and felt like eating Kinos. I walked to the street, located a Kino vendor, took two fruits and asked him what would it cost. He gave me one more, and asked for 20 PRs, ( or 20 US cents). Three fruits in 1996 would have been 2 Rs (or 5 US cents).
So, in -terms of USD, the fruit price has gone up 400%, and in-terms of PRs, it has gone up by 1000%. I figured that the rate of depreciation of Pak currency against USD has to be 600%! My accountant colleagues may correct me here!
As I walked through the fruits aisle, I saw very good looking citrus fruits called Kinos. These are like large size mandarins, very sweet and very few seeds. I saw a pile with a sign board planted in the middle, something was written in Urdu, then 8/=. I assumed the price of a fruit is 8 PRs, or about 20 US cents at that time. Very acceptable to me, I gave 10 Rs, wanted the vendor to keep the 2 Rs and started to walk. I peeled and ate the mandarin and enjoyed the walk -reminiscing on walks through orange orchards in Griffith, Australia. Then I heard someone calling me in loud voice, clapping his hand vigorously. It was the vendor, he wanted me to get back, and once I reached him he gave me a bag of another 11 fruits, and the balance of 2 Rs. Yes, a dozen was 8 Rs. I smiled at my ignorance, returned home, and enjoyed remaining fruits later.
Last week I was in Lahore, I was hungry, and felt like eating Kinos. I walked to the street, located a Kino vendor, took two fruits and asked him what would it cost. He gave me one more, and asked for 20 PRs, ( or 20 US cents). Three fruits in 1996 would have been 2 Rs (or 5 US cents).
So, in -terms of USD, the fruit price has gone up 400%, and in-terms of PRs, it has gone up by 1000%. I figured that the rate of depreciation of Pak currency against USD has to be 600%! My accountant colleagues may correct me here!
