‘Durust Daam’ App Faces Technical Issues
The Durust Daam mobile application, launched to provide official price lists of fruits and vegetables, is currently facing technical issues that have restricted public access to updated market rates during Ramadan.
Several users in Islamabad reported that the application is displaying an “Invalid Response from Server” error, preventing price data from loading. The issue has surfaced at a time when consumers closely track daily commodity prices due to increased household spending during the holy month.
The error suggests that while the application is successfully connecting to its server, the data being received is not in the required format. As a result, the system is unable to process or display official prices. This has left users unable to verify government-issued rates, compare them with market prices, or use the in-app complaint feature to report overcharging—an issue that typically intensifies during Ramadan.
Officials from the National Information Technology Board (NITB), which developed and manages the app’s technical infrastructure, said the system itself is functional and free of major technical faults. According to NITB, the problem stems from the failure of the ICT District Administration to upload updated price data to the platform.
Attempts to seek clarification from the district administration were unsuccessful, as no response was received from the Deputy Commissioner or other relevant officials.
The Durust Daam application was launched in October 2019 with the aim of improving price transparency and curbing market manipulation. Available to users across Pakistan, the app provides official rate lists issued by district administrations, enables price comparisons with local markets, allows citizens to submit complaints against profiteering, and also offers a feature for ordering essential kitchen items.
Since its launch, the app has recorded approximately 189,000 downloads and has been considered a key digital tool for price monitoring, particularly during Ramadan. However, the current disruption and the apparent lack of coordination between technical and administrative authorities have raised concerns about the reliability of digital price control mechanisms at a time when consumers depend heavily on official price information.
