The unusual chicken price hike is a result of low supply and high demand, reports The Nation. According to market sources, over 50 per cent of poultry products are being smuggled to neighbouring countries at higher prices.

According to a survey, high chicken prices have gone beyond the reach of the common man. A government employee, Abdul Qayyum, told APP that chicken was the only commodity they could buy because of its low prices. But now he is unable to purchase it owing to its high rates.

A housewife, Humaira Hassan, said her husband used to bring chicken thrice a week but is now unable to afford chicken meat within a limited income. Meanwhile, wholesale dealer Rafiq Ahmed at Tollington Market blamed a cartel for high prices. It fixes rates on a daily basis, he added.